FOOD SECURITY REGARDING GRAINS AND OILSEEDS: UKRAINIAN REALITIES IN WARTIME
##plugins.themes.bootstrap3.article.main##
##plugins.themes.bootstrap3.article.sidebar##
Abstract
It is evident that grains and oilseeds represent a pivotal component within the agricultural sector of Ukraine, playing a crucial role in ensuring the nation's food security on a global scale. The purpose of the present paper is to evaluate the impact of the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war on the cultivation of wheat, maize, barley, soya beans, rapeseed, and sunflower seeds, in comparison with the period of the pandemic of COVID-19. The research methodology employs econometric tests, optimal modelling, and relevant charts based on official statistics for the years 2019-2024. The research findings reveal that crop yields have remained stable. The judicious management of natural risks in farming has engendered more stable yields of maize and selected oilseeds, thereby demonstrating adaptability and mitigating the adverse effects of hardships. The research results support the hypothesis of substantial harvest losses (ranging from 22% to 37%) and a decline in export revenues (exceeding 65%) due to a reduction in harvested areas in the eastern regions of Ukraine that are situated within the military conflict zone. There has been a noticeable drop in production volumes for wheat and barley. Ukrainian exporters have suffered from disrupted supply chains and have had to change their logistics, relying on major importers from Spain, Poland, Romania, Turkey and China instead. Research recommendations emphasise the importance of strategic crop choices, including eco-friendly and more productive rapeseed and soya beans, which have partly displaced sunflower seeds. It is also advisable to adhere to optimal proportions when producing grains, taking into account the beneficial prevalence of maize, which can help to tackle the volatility of harvests and export incomes, which varied by up to 69%. The research concludes that the war has placed an enormous burden on Ukrainian agriculture, which has been striving to remain resilient and contribute to global food security. The present study highlights practical strategies that could help to overcome future international crises that threaten the sustainable development of the food security system.
How to Cite
##plugins.themes.bootstrap3.article.details##
grains and oilseeds, lost export incomes, natural risks, production optimisation, yield fluctuations
Abay, K. A., Breisinger, C., Glauber, J., Kurdi, S., & Laborde, D. (2023). The Russia-Ukraine war: Implications for global and regional food security and potential policy responses. Global Food Security, 36, 100675. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gfs.2023.100675
Alotaibi, M. (2023). Climate change, its impact on crop production, challenges, and possible solutions. Notulae Botanicae Horti Agrobotanici Cluj-Napoca, 51(1), 13020. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15835/nbha51113020
Andrienko, D., Goriunov, D., Zadorozhnia, L., Markuts, J., & Marshalok, T. (2024). Report on losses as a result of Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine. Kyiv: USAID, Kyiv School of Economics, 32 p.
Ben Hassen, T., & El Bilali, H. (2022). Impacts of the Russia-Ukraine War on Global Food Security: Towards More Sustainable and Resilient Food Systems? Foods, 11(15), 2301. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11152301
Benitez-Alfonso, Y., Soanes, B. K., Zimba, S., Boecsh, C., & Daszkowska-Golec, A. (2023). Enhancing climate change resilience in agricultural crops. Current Biology, 33(23), 1246–1261. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2023.10.028
Chen, B., Tu, Y., An, J., Wu, S., & Lin, C. (2024). Quantification of losses in agriculture production in eastern Ukraine due to the Russia-Ukraine war. Communications Earth & Environment, 5, 336. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01488-3
Chepeliev, M., Maliszewska, M., & Seara-e-Pereira, M. F. (2023). The War in Ukraine, Food Security and the Role for Europe. EuroChoices, 22(1), 3–14. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1746-692X.12389
Chowdhury, P. R., Medhi, H., Bhattacharyya, K. G., & Hussain, C. M. (2023). Severe deterioration in food-energy-ecosystem nexus due to ongoing Russia-Ukraine war: A critical review. Science of The Total Environment, 902, 166131. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166131
El Bilali, H., & Ben Hassen, T. (2024). Disrupted harvests: how Ukraine-Russia war influences global food systems – a systematic review. Policy Studies, 45(3–4), 310–335. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/01442872.2024.2329587
Filho, W. L., Fedoruk, M., Eustachio, J. H. P. P., Barbir, J., & Lisovska, T. (2023). How the War in Ukraine Affects Food Security. Foods, 12(21), 3996. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12213996
Galanakis, C. M. (2023). The “Vertigo” of the Food Sector within the Triangle of Climate Change, the Post-Pandemic World, and the Russian-Ukrainian War. Foods, 12(4), 721. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12040721
Glauben, T., Svanidze, M., Gotz, L., Prehn, S., & Jaghdani, T. J. (2022). The war in Ukraine, agricultural trade and risks to global food security. Intereconomics, 57(3), 157–163. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10272-022-1052-7
Kar, S. K., Sharma, A., Kar, S., & Dey, A. (2024). Impact on Agricultural Crop Production Under Climate Change Scenario. In Kumar, P., Aishwarya (Ed.), Technological Approaches for Climate Smart Agriculture. Cham: Springer, 109–132.
Karamushka, O., Moroz, S., & Vasylieva, N. (2018). Information component of innovative support for agricultural enterprises capital. Baltic Journal of Economic Studies, 4(4), 145–150. DOI: https://doi.org/10.30525/2256-0742/2018-4-4-145-150
Khatri, P., Kumar, P., Shakya, K. S., Kirlas, M. C., & Tiwari, K. K. (2024). Understanding the intertwined nature of rising multiple risks in modern agriculture and food system. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 26, 24107–24150. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-023-03638-7
Kozielec, A., Piecuch, J., Daniek, K., & Luty, L. (2024). Challenges to Food Security in the Middle East and North Africa in the Context of the Russia–Ukraine Conflict. Agriculture, 14(1), 155. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14010155
Misaal, M. A., Zahra, S. M., Rasul, F., Imran, M., & Noor, R. (2023). Influence of Climate Change on Crop Yield and Sustainable Agriculture. In Pande, C.B., Moharir, K.N., Singh, S.K. (Ed.), Climate Change Impacts on Natural Resources, Ecosystems and Agricultural Systems. Cham: Springer, 209–223.
Mukhtar, Z. (2023). The Impact of the Ukraine-Russia War on Food Security and Countries Exposed to Food Supply Shock. European Journal of Business and Management Research, 8(2), 38–43. DOI: https://doi.org/10.24018/ejbmr.2023.8.2.1861
Portner, L. M., Lambrecht, N., Springmann, M., Bodirsky, B. L., & Gaupp, F. (2022). We need a food system transformation – In the face of the Russia-Ukraine war, now more than ever. One Earth, 5(5), 470–472. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2022.04.004
Schmidt, M., & Felsche, E. (2024). The effect of climate change on crop yield anomaly in Europe. Climate Resilience and Sustainability, 3(1), e61. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/cli2.61
Shevchuk, O., Ilysh, O., Kozlovskyi, S., Roshchyna, N., & Hrynkevych, S. (2023). The Impact of the War in Ukraine on the Food Security of Low-Income Countries. Problems of Sustainable Development, 18(2), 26-41.
State Statistic Service of Ukraine (2025). Agriculture, forestry and fishery. International economic activity and balance of payments. Available at: https://ukrstat.gov.ua/
Tingey-Holyoak, J., Cooper, B., Crase, L., & Pisaniello, J. (2024). A framework for supporting climate-exposed asset decision-making in agriculture. Land Use Policy, 137, 106989. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2023.106989
Vasylieva, N. (2016). Cluster models of households’ agrarian production development. Economic Annals – XXI, 158(3–4(2)), 13–16. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21003/ea.V158-03
Vasylieva, N. (2021). Food Security in Times of Covid-19: Price Aspects in Ukraine and Neighboring EU Countries. Montenegrin Journal of Economics, 17(3), 21–30. DOI: https://doi.org/10.14254/1800-5845/2021.17-3.2
Verma, K. K., Song, X.-P., Kumari, A., Jagadesh, M., & Singh, K. S. (2025). Climate change adaptation: Challenges for agricultural sustainability. Plant, Cell & Environment, 48(4), 2522–2533. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.15078
Waldl, D., Mykhailova, M., & Haas, R. (2024). Entry points of the Russo-Ukrainian war into the EU's food supply chain and potential impacts. International Journal on Food System Dynamics, 15(5), 453–466. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18461/ijfsd.v15i5.M1
Witte, R. S., & Witte, J. S. (2017). Statistics. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 496 p.
Yuan, X., Li, S., Chen, J., Yu, H., & Yang, T. (2024). Impacts of Global Climate Change on Agricultural Production: A Comprehensive Review. Agronomy, 14(7), 1360. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14071360
Zhou, X.-Y., Lu, G., Xu, Z., Yan, X., & Khu, S.-T. (2023). Influence of Russia-Ukraine War on the Global Energy and Food Security. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 188, 106657. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2022.106657
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.