Vadym Ivchenko
Vadym Yevhenovych Ivchenko (; born 29 January 1980) is a Ukrainian politician who has served as a People's Deputy of Ukraine in the 8th and 9th convocations of the Verkhovna Rada. Ivchenko is a strong advocate of pro-Western reforms in Ukraine, and has taken an active role in their implementation as an Ambassador of the United Nations Foundation “European Silk Road Project” promoting the SDG agenda, a member of the MDO elevating anti-corruption culture in Ukraine and a member of the Verkhovna Rada’s committee on agricultural policy. Career & Education. Ivchenko was re-elected to parliament  in the 2019 Ukrainian parliamentary election. For both elections he was on the Batkivshchyna election list, as number 6 in 2014 and number 24 in 2019. Education Ambassador of Foundation for United Nations SDG "Silk Road" Project. In March 2021, Vadym Ivchenko was appointed as an Ambassador of the Foundation for United Nations SDG and Council of Europe ‘European Silk Road’ Project. This honour was awarded by the Foundation for United Nations promoting the SDG agenda, in association with the Center for UNESCO in Bologna and the Council of Europe representing the project. The Association of Bioethanol Producers. Ivchenko, as  a member of Verkhovna Rada's Committee on agricultural policy and sustainable farming, is involved on the Strategic Council of the Association of Bioethanol Producers. He has been systematically defending the interests of the agro-industrial sector and bioethanol in particular. International relations. Vadym Ivchenko is a strong advocate pro-Western reforms in Ukraine. He has been outspoken on a number of progressive topics, including environmentally conscious agricultural policy and the need for a transparent stock market system for agricultural produce and sales. Ivchenko is involved in promoting the use of biofuels and biogas, alternative energy resources, active international cooperation , combating global hunger, the fight against unemployment and the climate change crisis. The following links are to his recent articles in Eureporter: Foreign Investments. Ivchenko supports international investment in the Ukrainian economy and especially in the agricultural sector. He worked closely with Cargill Ukraine - represented by the former vice president of Cargill, Ivan Miroshnichenko - as they established in Ukraine and subsequently the company provided Ukraine a state loan of €250m. Additionally, he cooperated with Saudi Arabian Fas Energy Group, as well as China’s Power Group, in developing a solar energy plant in Ukraine. Furthermore, Ivchenko is currently  working to secure international funds to implement projects in waste management, waste recycling, bioethanol plants, wind farms and solar energy facilities here in Ukraine. Ivchenko has accused Ukraine of being “asleep at the wheel” with regards to its stances on foreign investments, judicial reforms, fiscal reforms and anti-corruption initiatives. He suggests that these improvements, together with well managed international investments, would build trust within the international community and bridge the gap between Ukraine and the West. Environment and Alternative Energy. Ivchenko considers the production of biofuels from agricultural waste to be a lifeline for the Global Environmental Crisis and  the way in which Ukraine can actively and effectively contribute. Ukraine currently produces huge amounts of agricultural waste and he believes that this can be used to drive Ukraine’s fight against the crisis. The problem he highlights, however, is Ukraine’s lack of technical expertise and funding for the agricultural sector due to its inward looking policies. Renewable Agenda In order to implement these reforms, Ivchenko proposes an investment roadmap. His plan would see US companies, with funding and expertise in Biofuel development and production, working with Ukrainian agricultural producers to revolutionise sustainable Ukrainian agriculture. Ivchenko believes that committing  just 20% of Ukraine’s corn producing facilities to producing biofuels would help Ukraine on the way to becoming a world-leader in renewable energy production by using the waste that once polluted Ukraine’s soil to benefit the nation and its people. Ivchenko states that economy and ecology are not mutually exclusive but linked in the fight against the Global Environmental Crisis. Agricultural Land and International Investments. Ivchenko is highly outspoken on the topic of land sale and potential land based investments as addressed in his article published on the front page of the London Globe- “There for the  Taking: How Ukraine’s fertile real estate has quickly become the centre of international attention”. Ivchenko highlights that the area of agricultural land leased to foreign investors is roughly equal to the size of Switzerland- 4 million hectares. The main complexities of this land-leasing are ambiguous property rights, trust-building, an ineffectual judicial system, political and economic instability, foreign countries being seen to pursue their national interests in the face of ever-changing global circumstances, the clash of the American and Russian spheres of influence and the Ukrainian population’s weariness of corruption. Membership in International Friendship Groups. • Deputy  Co-Chair of the Group for Interparliamentary Relations with the People's Republic of China PABSE & Public activity. Ivchenko actively participated in the 46th, 48th, 49th and 50th sessions of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation. Public activity Legislative work. Vadym Ivchenko is the author and co-author of a number of important legislative bills for Ukraine, which became laws: Business. An active supporter of pro-environmental policies, eco-friendly resources and renewable energy, Ivchenko implements his personal views and beliefs not only in politics but also in business. He’s involved at the executive level in  several enterprises that produce green energy, such as BC SOLAR LLC and ECO-ENERGY LDN LLC as well as the founder of the farm AGRO-CITY. Early life & Private life. Vadym Ivchenko grew up in a military family. His father Ivchenko Evgeny Ivanovych was born in Karaganda, Kazakhstan and was a Soviet Army Colonel. The family moved a lot, as a result of their service duty. Being born in Usuriisk, USSR, where his father was stationed at the time, Vadym spent his formative years living and going to school in Primorskiy Krai, USSR, then in Grozny, Chechnia and finally moving  to Uzyn, Ukraine. His father taught him army discipline, strong will, respect, honor, loyalty and devotion to country and duty. His mother Plishakova Liudmyla Mykolaivna born in Sibirtsevo, Primorsky Krai, USSR, was a military economist and accountant, she taught him order and love towards his studies. Vadym Ivchenko is a master of the sport of boxing. Amongst Ivchenko's hobbies are tennis, surfing, yachting and all kinds of sports activities. He also enjoys free fall parachute jumps and travel. Ivchenko reads extensively and enjoys trying and learning new things. He has remained professionally devoted to boxing and supported boxing initiatives  throughout his life. He is married with two children.