THE ROLE OF THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR OF THE ECONOMY IN ENSURING FOOD SECURITY IN UKRAINE AND THE WORLD
Authors:   Central Ukrainian National Technical University, Androshchuk Ilona , Riabovolyk Tetiana ,   Central Ukrainian National Technical University, Riabovolyk Yurii ,   Central Ukrainian National Technical University
Published: March 2023

The paper is devoted to the research of the role of the agricultural sector of the economy in ensuring food security of Ukraine during the war in 2022. The full-scale invasion of the territory of Ukraine undoubtedly was affected on all sectors of the economy, and especially the agricultural sector. It is worth noting that before the full-scale invasion, this sector was one of the leading contributors to the country’s budget and is the basis of its food security. In the pre-war period, almost 400 million people in the world were provided with food and agricultural products due to their export from Ukraine to the world market. According to USDA data, before the war, Ukraine supplied 46% of the world’s sunflower oil exports, 9% of wheat exports, 17% of barley exports, and 12% of corn exports on international markets. Food security is one of the most important components of the national security of any state. Ukraine plays an important part in the global agrarian geopolitics. And that is why the war is a key negative factor in the deterioration of food security in many countries of the world. It is worth noting that last 2021 year was entered to the agrarian history of our country as an absolute record – more than 106 million tons of grain and oil crops were harvested. It was the absolute maximum in the entire history of our state. This shows that at the time of the full-scale invasion, namely the month of February, the period of implementation of most export contracts in the agricultural sector, the elevators and warehouses were completely filled with agricultural products that were subject to export. Accordingly, the destroyed sea logistics routes and the establishment of new land routes, which are far from being able to ensure the export of such volumes, negatively were affected the activity of the agricultural sector. The world market has recently seen significant growth in agricultural products, in particular, the price policy for wheat and corn has increased by 20%. These processes were preceded by many factors, including crop failures in agricultural production countries due to the adverse climatic conditions (droughts, fires, floods). The military aggression, was unleashed by the Russian invaders against Ukraine, has a significant impact on the increasing the cost of the agricultural products. It will the further increasing the cost of staple foods, especially in the countries of the third world. It is possible to reduce the price tension on the world market of the agricultural products by helping Ukraine with the world leaders in the de-occupation of the occupied territories and ensuring a stable security situation of the state. The internal agricultural market should also be reformed, which will be aimed at its improvement and development. It is equally important, with the support of the world community, to create conditions for permanent, uninterrupted and safe export of agricultural products by sea, by depriving the aggressive countries of the possibility of blocking ports.