Deputy Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture Denys Bashlyk met with Mohammed Azouqa, interim Head of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Office in Ukraine, to discuss ongoing support for Ukrainian farmers and agricultural producers and future cooperation directions.
“Enhancing the resilience and sustainability of Ukraine’s agri-food sector is crucial today. Farmers face challenging conditions, with significant losses of agricultural equipment and property, mined lands, polluted fields and climate change impacting yields. Continued support for the sector ensures Ukraine’s economic stability and contributes to domestic and global food security,” Denys Bashlyk emphasised.
The meeting focused on key areas of cooperation:
– Digitalisation, including support for the State Agrarian Register as a tool to enhance aid for Ukrainian farmers;
– Addressing climate change, developing irrigation and reducing environmental impacts from agricultural production;
– Demining agricultural lands and involvement in soil analysis;
– Continued provision of crop storage solutions for farmers;
– Engaging international and national experts to support Ukraine’s agrarian sector integration into the EU, including information campaigns on new EU regulations;
– Expanding markets for Ukrainian agricultural exports;
– Strengthening international food security.
Denys Bashlyk thanked FAO representatives for their consistent support of Ukrainian farmers, particularly in frontline areas.
He also stressed the need to expand digital tools to simplify farmers’ operations and ensure transparency in agriculture, such as e-CropFarming and the Viticulture and Winemaking Register. (Government portal)