Even in the conditions of war, Ukraine is among the world's top 5 agricultural exporters, - Mykola Solskyi

The Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine Mr. Mykola Solskyi in his speech at the opening of the International Green Week spoke about the key food challenges and the ways to overcome them.

One of these challenges is the blocking of Ukrainian agricultural exports, both at the beginning of the full-scale war with Russia and today, due to artificial inspections of ships at the Bosporus, which cause turbulence in food markets. As a result, food prices are rising and the food crisis is getting worse.

"Ukraine, together with its international partners, made every effort to expand new logistics routes, including the launch of the grain corridor. Thanks to this, we remained to be the guarantor of the world's food security. Even in such difficult conditions, from the beginning of the war our country managed to export more than 40 million tons of grains, oilseeds and processed products to provide food for hundreds of millions of people around the world. Despite all difficulties, Ukraine retained its position among the top 5 global agricultural exporters," he emphasized.

However, according to the Minister, food security is not the only challenge for the modern world. The problems of climate change, which entail resource depletion, as well as the transformation of food systems, energy saving, and the use of renewable resources are relevant too.

Mr. Mykola Solskyi emphasized that all this requires appropriate solutions from the international community. The Minister called the development of alternative energy sources as one of the solutions. "We, like other European countries, review the high value of biological resources, assess their economic prospects and prioritize further development of the bioeconomy. Ukraine can also become an active participant in the biomethane boom, as 70% of our territory is covered by agricultural land which is the largest area in Europe. Our biomethane production potential is up to 10 billion m3 per year. It will be enough to meet both domestic demand and export to the EU through existing gas pipelines," the Minister said.

Additionally, he emphasized that today, in order to accelerate the development of farming and solve the problems related to hunger and the environment, net exporters with developed agricultural technologies should share their experience with developing countries.

"We should encourage farmers to take a new course of action. We should support and stimulate their activities. This is an opportunity to unite and adopt new rules of existence for the world for the sake of the future. Priority No. 1 is sustainable development. Ukraine is a part of the civilized world, and we are making our contribution to solve these global problems. Although in order to do that, we need victory and peace. Without peace in Ukraine, global stability is impossible," Mykola Solskyi summarized.

Read also: Ukrainian agriculture faces logistical challenges, but remains among the world leaders

IC UAC according to the MAPFU