UK and Ukraine agree cutting-edge scheme to protect food security
Source: gov.uk (2025-01-20)

The Grain Verification Scheme will help track stolen grain from occupied Ukrainian territories.

The UK will launch a Grain Verification Scheme to track grain stolen from occupied areas of Ukraine, as part of its landmark 100-year partnership with the country.

Using cutting-edge science to determine where grain has been grown and harvested, the UK has developed a database to support Ukraine’s efforts to trace and stop grain theft from occupied regions.

The scheme will strengthen the food security of Ukraine and also ensure the country remains a major supplier of agricultural produce worldwide.

Meeting at the Global Forum for Food & Agriculture hosted in Berlin, Germany, Food Security and Rural Affairs Minister Daniel Zeichner signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Vitaliy Koval, the Ukraine Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food ahead of the scheme’s launch, before the database is handed over to Ukraine in the coming weeks.

Daniel Zeichner, Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs, said:

The UK’s support for Ukraine is ironclad.

The Grain Verification Scheme will support Ukraine’s essential food supply and helps guarantee their security in the face of Russian aggression.

Using the latest science, we can track grain to its source – identifying stolen grain to help Ukraine take back what’s theirs.

The Grain Verification Scheme was developed after Ukraine requested support from G7 countries in tracing grain stolen from territories under Russian control and sold on the international market.

The 100-year partnership between the UK and Ukraine broadens and deepens the relationship of the two countries across defence and non-military areas, including agriculture.

Global Forum for Food & Agriculture (GFFA)

Elsewhere at the Global Forum for Food & Agriculture (GFFA), Food Security Minister Daniel Zeichner has signed a communique affirming the government’s commitment to food security and sustainable agri-food systems.

The annual conference, attended by more than 60 ministers from across the world, discussed the importance of sustainable and resilient agriculture for global food security.

During the event, which focused on bioeconomy this year, the minister also participated in a ministerial breakout session in which he drew attention to the need for a global transition towards low emission fertilisers.

Daniel Zeichner, Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs, said:

This government is committed to a farming sector that delivers for the environment, because without nature there can be no food production.

The production and consumption of fertiliser remains essential to maintain UK food security, yet it is responsible for 5% of greenhouse gas emissions globally.

That’s why we are investing up to £15 million in nutrient management innovation projects to address the challenges related to fertilisers and nutrient management in agriculture and supporting farmers with £6.8 million on projects on new digital tools to plan their nutrient applications and research on biostimulants and novel fertilisers.

There is a global transition to low emission fertiliser production to reduce the carbon footprint of British farms, and this government will foster innovation in the UK to enable higher nutrient use efficiency; reducing emissions, maximising yields and improving our farmers livelihoods.

The UK has also allocated Official Development Assistance Research and Development funding to investigate the potential of biofertilisers, also known as biostimulants, in enhancing agricultural yields while preserving natural resources in developing countries.