Rebuilding Ukraine : the agricultural perspective

Given its national and global importance, agriculture in Ukraine is a key sector to consider when assessing both the damages and losses caused by Russia’s attempted invasion and the associated post-war reconstruction needs and challenges. As of September 2022, total war damages and losses for Ukrainian agriculture were estimated to be US$ 40.9 billion. Using the Post Disaster Need Assessment methodology, KSE Agrocenter (2023) estimates that reconstruction and recovery of Ukrainian agriculture will cost at least US$ 23.5 billion. Key priorities include demining and re-cultivating agricultural land, rebuilding on-farm and local storage facilities, and repairing export infrastructure. Policy makers should focus on eliminating bottlenecks for private investments to drive sectoral growth, not selecting specific products or value chains for support. Investments in agriculture and public administrative capacity in agriculture should be carried out with a view to compatibility with EU regulation in agriculture and supporting Ukraine’s EU accession perspective.