Adapting Ukrainian farming for the EU
The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has impacted Ukraine’s agriculture significantly, with 20% of the country’s territory temporarily lost, including 27% of its farmland.
On November 28, 2024, the Committee on Agrarian and Land Policy of Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada organized a hearing to evaluate the nation's readiness for negotiations with the European Union in the agricultural sector.
Representatives from the Ministry of Agrarian Policy, international organizations, and the agricultural community joined the event to discuss the challenges and opportunities of aligning Ukrainian agriculture with EU standards.
“The lessons of Europe's energy dependence on Russia have already become obvious to everyone. It was not just a vulnerability - it was a weapon used against European unity and stability. Today, Russia continues to use food security as a political tool because it knows that there are two countries that can feed South Africa: either Russia or Ukraine. Therefore, we need to quickly regain this market with the support of the EU even before Ukraine joins the EU. Otherwise, tomorrow it will be blackmailing Europe.
If the EU had imposed sanctions on Russia's agricultural sector, Russia would have been on the verge of starvation, and the war in Ukraine would have ended long ago. But no one is talking about this, and meanwhile the war is in its third year,” said Andrii Dykun, Chairman of the Ukrainian Agri Council.
“Russia uses food as leverage, knowing its ability to impact global markets. Ukraine and Russia are key suppliers for South Africa. Regaining this market with EU support is crucial before Ukraine becomes a member state. Otherwise, it risks enabling Russia’s manipulation of European stability,” Dykun stated.
“Ukrainian farmers have always survived in very difficult conditions. We do not need European subsidies. Let's look for situations in which both European and Ukrainian farmers will benefit from a joint union,” said Dykun.
Ukraine’s potential EU accession could strengthen global food security and European stability, he emphasized. He called for solutions that allow both Ukrainian and European farmers to thrive within a shared framework.
As noted above, the ongoing conflict has impacted Ukraine’s agriculture significantly, with 20% of the country’s territory temporarily lost, including 27% of its farmland. Despite these challenges, the agricultural sector supports 5 million jobs and engages 14 million people directly or indirectly, underlining its importance to the national economy and global food systems.
For more details, visit UAC’s website.
Photo Credit: isolated-ukraine-flag-design