Agro Perspectiva

Ukrainian agricultural land needs to be cleared and returned to circulation as soon as possible

22.01.2025 20:43 "Agro Perspectiva" (Kyiv) — Vitalii Koval, Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, took part in a panel discussion titled «Mine Action in Ukraine: From Agriculture to Green Recovery and Building a Resilient Ukraine» at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

In his speech, the Minister stressed that due to the war, agricultural land needs to be returned to use and demined as soon as possible. According to him, the soils that feed Ukraine and the world are returned to use and sown after demining. More than 225,000 hectares have already been sown in Ukraine. This is a key stage in bringing Ukrainian land back to life.

«We have already made a significant step forward. In 2024, 3,100 square kilometres were cleared of mines, including 286,000 hectares of agricultural land. We managed to sow and harvest 225,000 hectares. However, our goal is not just to return these lands to circulation, but to make them a guarantee of safe food. For us, it is not about hectares or harvests. It is about the food security of Ukraine and the world. One hectare of land produces up to USD 1,600 of food or 6,500 loaves of bread, which can feed 18 people a year. Soil restoration is our duty to the world, as Ukraine feeds more than 400 million people,» Vitalii Koval stressed.

The Minister reminded that the Ukrainian people had survived the tragedy of the Holodomor, which had claimed the lives of 10 million Ukrainians. That is why Ukrainians know how critical food security is. Vitalii Koval emphasised that Ukrainian farmers cannot help but sow — it is in their DNA.

The Minister also said that the Soil Protection Institute is working to ensure that the cleared land not only yields crops but also meets the highest environmental standards. To achieve this goal, modern technologies and international partners are being engaged, and efforts are being coordinated at all levels.

«It is important for us not just to clear the land of mines, but to make it a source of quality of life, food security and sustainable development again,» said Vitaliy Koval.

During the panel discussion, he stressed that an important priority for Ukraine is the development of the bioeconomy as a whole. Ukraine has a huge potential in creating renewable bioresources that can become the basis for clean energy, building materials and biofuels. That is why the Ministry of Agrarian Policy is striving to make the bioeconomy one of the drivers of Ukraine’s sustainable development.

Speaking about food security, Vitalii Koval also reminded the audience that he had recently signed an important Memorandum with his British and Lithuanian colleagues to launch the Grain Verification Scheme (GVS) during the Green Week in Berlin. This unique initiative is designed to prevent the illegal export of Ukrainian grain from the temporarily occupied territories, ensuring transparency and reliability of agricultural exports.