TRANSFORMATION OF UKRAINE'S AGRICULTURAL SECTOR IN THE CONTEXT OF MILITARY CONFLICT: CHALLENGES AND PERSPECTIVES
Creators: name: Dorosh-Kizym, M.
name: Grabovskiy, R.
name: Dorosh, M.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2025
Subjects: rural entrepreneurship, logistics, infrastructure, land resources, GDP, raw materials, resilience, energy supply, diversification, ecosystems, agriculture, exports, grain, food security, war, economy, global market, ports, recovery, sustainable development, losses, production, climate-smart agriculture, innovation.

description: The purpose of this article is to analyze the current state of agriculture in Ukraine and examine the problems that have arisen due to the onset of the full-scale war with the Russian Federation. An important aspect of the study is the assessment of the impact of the military conflict on the agricultural sector, specifically the damage to agricultural land, infrastructure, and the destruction of production capacities. Additionally, the research addresses issues such as the rising cost of production, resource supply problems, and the difficulties faced by farmers in wartime conditions. The article also aims to evaluate the measures taken to ensure food security and explore the prospects for the recovery and adaptation of the agricultural sector to the new circumstances. 

The agro-industrial sector of Ukraine, which had strategic importance for the country's economy prior to the outbreak of the military invasion, has undergone significant changes as a result of the armed conflict. The war not only disrupted traditional supply chains but also led to large-scale destruction of infrastructure, which complicated agricultural activities in many regions. In the context of the military conflict, agriculture became one of the main targets of the enemy, who sought to destroy or control food flows, as well as exploit natural resources to achieve their strategic objectives. The destruction or damage of agro-industrial facilities, warehouses, as well as the disruption of agricultural machinery and fertilizer supplies, significantly hindered the continuation of production. However, despite all the challenges, Ukrainian farmers continue to fight to preserve and restore production capacities, trying to minimize the consequences of the war for food security both at the national and international levels.

The agro-industrial sector occupies an important place in Ukraine's economic structure, acting as a key driver not only for rural areas but also for the development of the national economy as a whole. Before the full-scale war, the annual growth of this sector was 5-6%, and the share of agricultural production in the gross domestic product reached 10%, with agriculture and food processing combined accounting for 16%.

Ukraine's agriculture held leading positions in the global production of certain types of food, providing up to 6% of the world's total caloric consumption. Ukraine was a leader in the international trade of sunflower oil (ranking first globally), rapeseed, and barley (ranking third and fourth, respectively), as well as other agricultural products. The trade in agricultural products brought Ukraine about 22 billion USD annually, accounting for 41% of the country's total exports. The development of industrial agricultural production in Ukraine allowed for reducing the impact of disparities in government support levels and the cost of financing compared to North American and European Union countries, contributing to successful competition in international markets. The involvement of the maximum amount of agricultural land led to the completion of the extensive growth phase and the gradual transition to intensive growth, based on improvements in production technologies, the manufacturing of higher value-added products, updating the machinery fleet, building storage facilities, and developing processing industries.

Currently, about 5% of agricultural land has been damaged as a result of the armed conflict. The loss of available arable land exceeds 25%, with more than 70% of irrigated land affected, around 25% of berry plantations, and about 20% of orchards.

Due to the rising prices of fertilizers, fuel, and seeds, the cost of agricultural production has significantly increased. Furthermore, a large portion of the land is now dangerous for agricultural activities due to damage and landmines. Significant destruction has also occurred to key infrastructure facilities, including agricultural, storage, transport, energy, and processing industries.