Tavrychanka Territorial Community

History

The Tavrychanka rural territorial community is a place where rich history and active development are intertwined, where each village has its own unique history and character.

The center of the community – the village of Tavrychanka – spread out on the site of the former Shcherbyna farmstead, founded in the second half of the 19th century.

It all started here with the large Askania-Nova estate, founded back in 1828 by the German Duke of Angalta-Ketensky. Later, the lands passed to other landowners. In 1907, a wealthy peasant bought part of these lands and founded a farmstead, which eventually became the basis of modern Tavrychanka.

After the Second World War, the community was actively rebuilt. Agriculture and social infrastructure developed. Peasants built housing, roads, schools, medical and other facilities. The state-owned farm “Askaniyske” became an important center of agricultural production.

The history of the Tavrychanka community reflects the rich historical heritage, active development and heroism of its residents, creating the special character of this unique place.

Thanks to caring people, the community develops. Thus, a significant contribution to the development of the community was made by the director of the Askaniyske Experimental Farm and Vira Naidyonova, a Candidate of Agricultural Sciences. She won recognition not only in the Kherson region, but also in Ukraine, receiving the title of Hero of Ukraine.

Thanks to her efforts, an equestrian school for children was created, as well as the development of monasteries and the village were supported.

The park of the State-Owned Enterprise “Askaniyske” in the middle of the village of Tavrychanka is a pure oasis. 300 different types of plants, trees, bushes and other flora are grown here. Drip irrigation is connected to each plant. The park was established in 2015 at the initiative of Vira Naidyonova. There is also a new church of St. Basil in the village, which was built thanks to her.

The real pride of the community, which has become a favorite place of rest for local residents and guests, is the Vira Naidyonova Park. Modern and well-kept, this park impresses with its beauty and variety of entertainment, so any trip to the village inevitably includes a visit to this picturesque location. The long-term project to create a park zone initiated by Vira Naidyonova became the embodiment of her dream – a place where everyone can enjoy natural beauty and feel calm. The park, which exceeded all expectations, is now considered one of the most beautiful in the south of Ukraine.

Economy and Welfare

Before the full-scale invasion, the economy of the Tavrychanka community was based on agriculture, which occupies 91% of the structure of the economy. The main directions of the agrarian complex included the cultivation of grain and technical crops, among which the main ones were technical, grain, vegetable and fodder crops.

The largest agricultural enterprise of the community is the state-owned enterprise Askaniyske Experimental Farm. It grew and sold products such as soybeans, corn, winter wheat, barley, and sunflowers, as well as was engaged in cattle breeding. The enterprise was an important center of agricultural production in the community.

Agrobusiness LLC specialized in the production and sale of agricultural products, the production of dairy products at the craft goat farm-gallery “Maryanka”, and also had an elevator for grain storage.

PRODEXIM, LTD was engaged in the cultivation of organic grain and oil crops, trade in organic agricultural products, as well as the cultivation of grapes and fruits, such as apples, pears, peaches, cherries, raspberries and blackberries. In addition, they were engaged in the processing of organic oil crops before the occupation of the community.

Entrepreneurship is an important sector of the economy that has potential for growth after the liberation of the territories. The activities of both large and small businesses were blocked by the occupation authorities, which led to devastating consequences for the local economy. The revenue part of the local budget decreased by 66% as compared to the pre-war indicators.

Community and War

Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the Tavrychanka rural territorial community has been under occupation by russian troops, which continues to this day.

One of the most acute consequences of the occupation is the outflow of the population. About 1,096 people were forced to leave their homes, seeking safety in other regions of Ukraine or beyond.

The occupation also led to mass unemployment. As of March 25, 2023, the number of unemployed able-bodied population in the territory of the community was approximately 2,133 people. People lost the opportunity to work and support their families.

The patriotic part of the population is under constant psychological, physical and financial pressure from the occupation authorities. The indomitable spirit of the community’s residents, who refuse to submit to the occupiers, became the object of brutal persecution.

The war also brought the destruction of residential and communal property. The partial and complete destruction of houses, public buildings and community equipment left many without a roof over their heads and the resources they need for life.

The infrastructure of the community was also severely damaged. The destruction of electricity, water and gas supply facilities led to a critical situation, complicating the lives of residents and their survival in war conditions.

The ecological consequences of hostilities were not long in coming. Massive deforestation, damage and pollution of water arteries led to crop destruction and soil degradation. The community’s flora and fauna have suffered significant damage, making it even more difficult to restore normal life in the region.

The mining of territories made them unsuitable for agricultural work. The forced removal of machinery and grain, the destruction of production facilities and equipment, and the blocking of exports forced most agricultural producers to suspend production.

The Tavrychanka community continues to struggle with the consequences of the war, keeping hope for recovery and a peaceful future. Despite all the difficulties, the residents of the community remain united, support each other and dream of the day when their native land will once again become free and prosperous.

People of the Community

Since December 15, 2022, the Tavrychanka community has been headed by Tetiana Yushchenko. Since her appointment, she has proven herself to be an effective and decisive leader, able to respond promptly to the challenges faced by the occupied community.

Before the full-scale invasion, cultural centers, a sports complex, a modern recreation park and an open-air cinema functioned on the territory of the community.

Residents of the community actively supported traditions and participated in the celebrations of the Village Day, national and state holidays, creating an atmosphere of unity and support.

Development Strategy

In light of the serious challenges faced by the Tavrychanka community due to the military aggression, the community’s development strategy is aimed at comprehensive restoration and improvement of the area’s viability.

The main areas include infrastructure restoration, business support, social support, tourism development and environmental initiatives. The goal is to restore economic stability, improve the quality of life of residents and preserve the natural environment.

After deoccupation of the community, the primary tasks shall be:

• demining agricultural areas to ensure safe return to active use of agricultural land.
• reconstruction and repair of residential buildings and communal property destroyed during hostilities.
• restoration and modernization of agricultural machinery and production facilities.
• search and attraction of investors for the expansion of agricultural production.
• attracting investors to open new enterprises: facilitating the opening of new businesses thanks to the investment attractiveness of the community.

These strategic directions of development of the Tavrychanka community are aimed at restoring and strengthening the economy, social sphere and infrastructure, ensuring a sustainable future for its residents.

List of Sources

• Contact information | Tavrychanka community, Kakhovka district, Kherson region (tavrychanska-gromada.gov.ua)
• facebook.com/profile.php?id=100088919115469
• facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560849177911
• The Soul of the South. Tavria Borshch 2020 (osv.org.ua)
• Tavrychanka village, Kherson region. – HedgeHog Stories (hghstories.com)