NAAS urges Ukrainian govt, State Property Fund to engage in constructive dialogue on transfer of farmland to state

Ukraine's National Academy of Agrarian Sciences (NAAS) is calling on the current government and the State Property Fund (SPF) to engage in constructive dialogue regarding the agricultural land under the Academy's management.

This appeal was made by NAAS Chief Scientific Secretary and Director of the National Scientific Center "Institute of Mechanics and Automation of Agricultural Production," Doctor of Technical Sciences Valeriy Adamchuk, at a press conference held at Interfax-Ukraine.

He reminded that NAAS is a state self-governing scientific institution comprising 82 research entities, including eight national scientific centers, 32 research institutes, 39 research stations, the Askania-Nova biosphere reserve, and 91 legal entities, which are state enterprises. Of the total 175 legal entities, 12 are currently under occupation, eight are undergoing bankruptcy procedures, and seven state enterprises are inactive.

"As of January 1, 2025, NAAS fulfilled its obligations to the state, which were prerequisites for the optimization of land plots held by the Academy. If last year we managed 462,000 hectares, then, after implementing relevant government decrees, 210,000 hectares were transferred to the management of the State Property Fund. NAAS currently retains the use of 276,700 hectares, including 217,000 hectares of arable land," said the NAAS Presidium representative.

Adamchuk drew attention to the fact that the SPF has initiated the drafting of a Cabinet of Ministers resolution that would not only withdraw land from NAAS's experimental farms but also from its research institutions, transferring it to the permanent use of the state-owned enterprise Reserve. He warned that this would strip research institutions of land, leaving them with only the buildings and land they occupy, thereby endangering all experimental and breeding work. NAAS institutions and the Presidium have held discussions regarding the SPF's intention to reclaim 135,000 hectares and have submitted official appeals to relevant state authorities.

The NAAS Chief Scientific Secretary also highlighted the vulnerability created by Ukraine's open-border policy during the full-scale invasion. While the country has allowed the unrestricted import of all agricultural inputs – fertilizers, pesticides, seeds, machinery, fuel, and lubricants – European markets remain largely closed to Ukrainian agricultural products. Such reliance on imports, especially in wartime, poses serious risks to a predominantly agricultural country and its food security.

According to Adamchuk, NAAS-managed farmland accounts for less than 0.5% of Ukraine's total land area, and its withdrawal will not deliver any substantial benefit to the state. He also pointed out that the SPF has yet to disclose information on the privatization outcomes or the effectiveness of the land previously transferred from the Academy.

Oleksandr Korniychuk, Director of the Podillia Institute of Feed and Agriculture of NAAS and Doctor of Agricultural Sciences, said the institute, located in Vinnytsia, has accumulated 1,669 hectares of land over many years, including about 180 hectares of forest plantations. All of it is used for research, such as the development of new crop varieties and technologies, particularly in seed production. The institute has created around 210 plant varieties, 130 of which are currently included in the State Register of Plant Varieties Suitable for Distribution in Ukraine. It leads breeding programs for 30 different crops and is a key institution in the development of forage production.

Korniychuk noted that the institute provides consulting services in Vinnytsia, Khmelnytskyi, and Ternopil regions. In Vinnytsia alone, around 274 sole proprietors, approximately 2,400 farmers, and nearly 800 medium-to-large farms and agroholdings benefit from its expertise.

"It is crucial for the institute to retain its current land resources. Any reduction will limit our research capacity and ultimately lead to significant long-term losses for the country. Our primary task is to develop and implement new innovations in agricultural production," he said, urging the SPF and Cabinet of Ministers to reconsider their decisions and preserve the land base of scientific institutions, which also helps maintain staff employment.

Korniichuk stressed that of the 210,000 hectares transferred from NAAS to the SPF, only about 40,000 hectares have been auctioned off. The state has yet to see the expected return.

"The land is idle, generating no profit and thereby losing its most valuable asset – soil fertility," he said.

Vitaliy Kabanets, Director of the NAAS Institute of Agriculture of the North-East, noted that his institution and its affiliated enterprises are the only elite breeding centers for pig farming in the region. The institute manages 287 hectares, where it conducts breeding programs for buckwheat and hemp. After surveying several crop and livestock farms and comparing their performance with the institute's, he concluded that NAAS entities manage resources efficiently. They pay taxes and rent – UAH 9,000 per hectare, compared to UAH 6,000-6,500 paid by NAAS experimental farms and UAH 5,000-7,000 typically paid by private agricultural firms.

Kabanets voiced concern for the institute's livestock, warning that if 100% of its arable land is seized, its entire feed base will disappear.

He stressed that any reform must be clear, with a defined beginning, an action plan, and a forecasted result. Implementation should be preceded by public debate and compromise to ensure a positive national outcome.

Natalia Buniak, Director of the Nosivka Breeding and Research Station of the V.N. Remeslo Myronivka Institute of Wheat, reported that the station has operated in Chernihiv region for 114 years. It specializes in breeding rye, oats, barley, and perennial grasses. Over the last five years, it has registered 19 varieties in the State Register. As of January 1, 2025, the station is listed with 45 varieties across 13 crops.

In 2021, the state allocated UAH 611,000 for the station's operations, and only UAH 348,000 in 2023. Over the past five years, the station has paid UAH 158 million into state special funds—an average of UAH 31.6 million per year, including UAH 24.2 million in annual taxes. In 2024 alone, it contributed UAH 5.7 million, averaging UAH 5.8 million per hectare compared to a minimum tax liability of UAH 1.3 million. Between 2018 and 2024, it spent around UAH 95 million on research while providing high-quality seeds to Ukrainian farmers.

In January 2025, the Nosivka station underwent state certification along with all other agrarian research institutions. Its staff hopes misunderstandings will be resolved through constructive dialogue, allowing scientists to retain their land and continue supplying seed producers with premium seed material – essential for self-financing their operations and maintaining the land in their care.

NAAS Chief Scientific Secretary Valeriy Adamchuk and heads of the Academy's institutions expressed hope for a reasoned, productive discussion with the government and the SPF before any final decisions are made.