THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR OF UKRAINE: THE CURRENT STATE AND ITS RECOVERY IN THE CONDITIONS OF TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGES

Abstract

The article highlights the current model of the development of the agricultural sector, which turned out to be extremely vulnerable as a result of the widespread Russian invasion of Ukraine. The total number of economic entities that suffered losses of industries as a result of armed aggression is shown. It was noted how in general the Ukrainian agricultural sector demonstrated high resilience and adaptability to wartime risks. An overview of the damage caused by the war in the agriculture of Ukraine was made. It was noted that despite the high potential of Ukraine's agriculture, the war seriously affects not only global, but also internal food security. The implementation of government measures aimed at solving critical issues related to the provision of agricultural production entities with energy and material resources for agricultural production was noted. The role of small farmers from all regions of Ukraine is shown, what the main problems they face are, and attention is also focused on the most urgent changes that farmers from all regions of Ukraine are waiting for. An analysis of the structure of the export of agricultural products and the possibility of rapid reorientation of production to other products, factors that influenced the restructuring of crops, was carried out. What do agricultural producers expect from the legislative and executive authorities, namely the adoption of a number of bills and decisions that will help bring the agricultural sector to a qualitatively new level. It was noted that despite significant losses from the war, Ukrainian farmers accepted the challenges of the war with dignity and continue to work to ensure food security not only for the Ukrainian people, but also for the whole world. That is why, in the near future, all stakeholders: the government, local authorities, business, citizens, and the international community should join forces aimed at ensuring the sustainability of the functioning of the Ukrainian agricultural sector. In the future, the agricultural sector should remain the "locomotive" of the state's economy, the country's food support, and the leader in global food supply.