Ukraine’s post-war recovery plan will pave the way for its farmers to become compliant with the EU’s environmental sustainability goals, an OECD conference on rural development held in Cavan has heard.

The recovery plan is to push for Ukrainian access to new agri-food markets, an increase in farming sector exports and infrastructure which will draw in investment into the sector, the country’s first deputy farm minister Taras Vysotskyi said on Thursday.

“All these measures will be implemented taking into account the Green Deal, with the gradual bringing [into line] of Ukrainian agricultural producers with the requirements of the EU Green Deal,” he told the conference attendees via video link.

This is our agrarian front on this war

Ukraine officially applied to join the EU in February of this year in the days after the Russian invasion.

Another area Minister Vysotskyi suggested that Ukraine will work to develop is that of bioenergy.

“We are also working on the development of bioenergy, taking into account the EU’s REPowerEU plan,” he said.

Farmers facing risks

The deputy minister also stated that farmers in Ukraine are undertaking “significant risks” to ensure food is produced across the country’s 42.7m ha of agricultural land.

At present, the 2022 harvest is almost complete and farmers in many regions have begun winter planting.

“There are significant losses due to reduced crop and livestock production, but our farmers, realising that the food security of the world depends on them, are taking significant risks.

“This is our agrarian front on this war,” he commented.