The deputy agriculture minister of Ukraine, Denys Bashlyk, has said that the country needs to begin setting out the path its farmers are to take in the longer term, as the war shows no sign of subsiding.

Some considerations for the agri-food sector will be as a direct consequence of military action. It is expected that it will take eight years after the cessation of hostilities for all agricultural lands to be de-mined.

Supporting the farming sector will pose questions for Ukraine, where the government has had little involvement in the running of private enterprise in the three decades since independence from the Soviet Union, the deputy minister explained.

Initiatives to boost farm incomes and sustainability are being considered by policymakers, such as the development of the anaerobic digestion and biofuel sectors, he told a webinar attended by major players in Ukrainian agribusiness.

“We have to plan, plan for the future and plan for how the agricultural sector will be developed after the war.

“It used to be said ‘do not disturb business’ but now I hear ‘we need your help’ from the business people,” Bashlyk said.