The study “The Future of Ukraine’s Agri-Food Sector: Competitiveness, European Integration and Development of the Internal Market” was presented in Kyiv. The event was attended by the Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine Taras Vysotsky and Deputy Minister Denys Bashlyk.
The main topic of discussion was the transformation of the Ukrainian agricultural sector from a predominantly raw material export model to the production of products with high added value, strengthening competitiveness and preparing producers to work according to the rules of the EU single market.
Taras Vysotsky stressed that even in conditions of a full-scale war, Ukraine must simultaneously respond to urgent challenges and lay the foundation for the long-term development of the agricultural sector. European integration is one of the key directions of the future of the Ukrainian agricultural sector.
“Now the state is ready to help farmers as much as possible. We strive to combine efforts into a powerful synergy that will allow us to increase our achievements and guarantee the competitiveness of the sector. It is important not only to adopt European experience, but also to offer the EU our own solutions for joint development,” Taras Vysotsky emphasized.
The minister noted that the formation of an effective development model required joint work between the state, business, specialized associations, experts and international partners.
Denys Bashlyk focused on the practical aspects of Ukraine’s preparation for participation in the EU Common Agricultural Policy. One of the key tasks is the creation and strengthening of the institutional capacity of the Paying Agency. In parallel, Ukraine is already working on piloting digital and information systems necessary for its future work, in particular FSDN and AKIS.
The Deputy Minister also emphasized that the adaptation of the agricultural sector to EU requirements will require significant investments from agribusiness. This applies, in particular, to new requirements for animal welfare, restrictions on plant protection products and the implementation of nitrate legislation.
“The European integration of the agricultural sector is a movement of two parties: business and the state. We need to have a common vision with business, especially with small and medium-sized producers, who are the most vulnerable in the transition stages. It is important to understand how to make this process the least painful for business,” emphasized Denys Bashlyk.
He also emphasized the importance of involving agricultural producers in modern information systems. In particular, AKIS should provide farmers with access to relevant agricultural knowledge and European practices, while FSDN will allow collecting data at the level of individual farms necessary for the formation of effective agricultural policy.
The study “The Future of Ukraine’s Agri-Food Sector: Competitiveness, European Integration and Development of the Internal Market” was prepared within the framework of the project “Research on the Economy of Ukraine’s Agricultural Sector in View of EU Integration, Global Food Security, Critical Knowledge Gaps and Recommendations”. The project is funded by the European Union and implemented by Landell Mills in cooperation with International Economics and Civitta. (Agrarian Ministry)