In the first seven months of 2023, Liubar's budget in Zhytomyr Oblast increased over UAH 1.7 million from land lease agreements and an additional UAH 2.9 million through privatization. This surge in income was made possible by the creation of a municipal property registry, which facilitated efficient asset management and maximized the community's resources.

 

Crafting Success: Serhii Ivankevych's Cheese Dairy

 

Entrepreneur Serhii Ivankevych, alongside a team of six skilled artisans, has been producing handcrafted cheeses in Liubar since 2023.

“Our cheeses are handmade, not mass-produced,” says Serhii. “We process up to 500 liters of milk daily, sourced from local farmers and a specialized dairy farm. We produce semi-hard and hard cheeses, aged in special chambers and a cellar, as well as fresh soft cheeses made to order and shipped the same day.”

 

Serhii Ivankevych proudly showcases a handcrafted cheese

 

Serhii’s entrepreneurial journey began when he purchased an abandoned building from the community for UAH 241,000. The building had sat unused for 30 years, but Serhii saw its potential. He transformed its decaying structure into a thriving cheese dairy. In its first year of operation, the dairy contributed UAH 150,000 in taxes to the local community budget.

“We could have started earlier,” Serhii reflects, “but when I first had the idea in 2017, the building had no proper documentation.”

This lack of documentation was a direct result of the community’s fragmented property management system. As Oleksandr Korzhuk, Head of the Economic Development, Investment, and Communal Property Department of Liubar Village Council, explains,

“Each department—whether education, culture, or healthcare—kept separate records, which created obstacles in transferring properties for lease or ownership. Often, properties weren’t listed in any registry at all.”

 

Creating a Unified Property Registry

 

To overcome these challenges, the Liubar Village Council, with support from the USAID HOVERLA Activity, launched an initiative to create a comprehensive municipal property registry in 2023. This project aimed to identify all unrecorded assets in the community, which spans 48 settlements.

“There were many abandoned properties, such as gates, wells, fuel storage facilities, and auxiliary buildings that had fallen into disrepair but were still listed in outdated registries,” explains Oleksandr. “We had to visit each site, assess its condition, and document it properly. We searched for old documents and inventory cards to get everything in order.”

Over the course of a year, the community successfully registered 553 land plots and 491 real estate properties, while also analyzing their usage. However, the work is ongoing. “Many farmers attempt to cultivate more land than they officially lease,” says Anatolii Bilenkyi, Secretary of the Liubar Village Council. “Our job never ends.”

 

Turning Challenges into Opportunities

 

The asset inventory process has not been without its challenges. According to Svitlana Rymarchuk, Chief Specialist of the Economic Development, Investment, and Communal Property Department, the team regularly consults with USAID HOVERLA Activity experts to address issues like unregistered properties or buildings lacking technical documentation.

“We rely on expert advice for properties with unclear ownership or those lacking formal documentation,” Svitlana explains. “Through diligent work, we’ve been able to identify surplus properties, some of which can now be leased or sold at auction.”

In addition to Serhii Ivankevych, the municipal property registry has attracted five other investors and entrepreneurs. These businesses pay for land, create jobs, and contribute taxes. Since Liubar is primarily an agricultural region, many of the assets are rented out for storing finished products or agricultural equipment, while land is used for farming. The administrative center of Liubar is also seeing the development of business premises, with some plots being used to build gas stations, which are both financially beneficial and strategically convenient for local farmers.

 

The village council commission conducting a meeting and site inspection to identify ownerless property and escheated inheritance

 

Liubar’s Cheese Dairy: Growing and Expanding

 

Meanwhile, Serhii’s cheese dairy continues to expand rapidly. Liubar’s artisanal cheeses are being showcased at popular festivals, and their Instagram page has grown to over 7,000 followers. The demand has been so high that the newly built facility, originally housed in the abandoned building, has already doubled in size.

 

The Bratalivka Cheese Factory team at the Lviv Art & Wine Festival

 

Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Initiatives

 

Beyond financial growth, the municipal property registry has also paved the way for Liubar to introduce an energy management system. By utilizing data from the registry, the community is able to monitor daily energy consumption in its buildings. This allows the council to prioritize facilities in need of modernization and focus on reducing energy costs.

With support from USAID HOVERLA Activity experts, Liubar has developed an Energy Efficiency and Conservation Program (2024–2027), which is expected to reduce CO2 emissions by 10% and decrease energy costs by approximately UAH 1.9 million.

 

Future Plans: Geographic Information System

 

Liubar’s next step is to complete its municipal property registry and move toward developing a Geographic Information System (GIS). This system will provide a digital mapping of all community assets, enabling even more efficient management and strategic planning for future growth.

 

A Model for Effective Community Development

 

The success of Liubar's municipal property registry, alongside the growth of Serhii Ivankevych’s cheese dairy, is a testament to how effective land management can drive economic development, create job opportunities, and improve the quality of life for local residents. With ongoing support from the USAID HOVERLA Activity, Liubar is laying the foundation for sustainable development and becoming a model for other communities across Ukraine.