Food security and new challenges for farmers
At the beginning of last week (on May 8), a working meeting was held in Vilnius with the participation of the Vice Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Lithuania Donatas Dudutis (pictured second from the left), Chairman of the Board of the Baltic-Black Sea Economic Forum Volodymyr Makukha, former Vice Minister of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania Vidas Andrikis, First Secretary for Economic Issues of the Embassy of Ukraine in the Republic of Lithuania Iryna Zhorniak and Co-Head of companies from Turkey Ahmet Annaiev.
In terms of present realities related to the full-scale war unleased by the russian federation against Ukraine, participants of the meeting emphasized on the importance of implementing strategies defined during a similar working meeting which was held on January 27, 2022 in Kyiv with the First Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine Taras Vysotskyi. In case of certain problems with fertilizers supply for farmers (i.e., Ukraine and Lithuania) and export of agriculture products from Ukraine, present-day realities require prompt and sometimes unconventional decisions.
Moreover, a number of issues on the necessity of adjusting strategies were discussed in order to fulfil the general purpose defined by February 24, 2022. Taking into account military activities which limit logistic capabilities of cargo transfer through the Ukrainian seaports and war-related increased risks of business dealing in certain territories of Ukraine, members of the meeting emphasized the urgency of initiating intermediate processes regarding construction of new production enterprises for fertilizers manufacturing and agricultural products processing. Enterprises will be situated outside of Ukraine and on the territory of Ukraine after the war ends. Results of the last meetings held within Klaipeda and Kedainiai free economic zones were discussed. Possible alternative logistics routes for the supply of raw materials necessary for production and transfer of Ukrainian agricultural products were considered. The importance of intensifying international cooperation within the Baltic Sea shores, eastern shores of the Caspian Sea and the Central Asia region was determined.
The importance of business connections extension and implementation of mutually beneficial joint international projects between the countries of the Baltic, Black Sea and Caspian regions aimed at ensuring sustainable economic development and food security, were also discussed the next day (on May 9) in Warsaw during a working meeting. Head of International Relations Department of the Ministry of Economic Development and Technologies of Poland Oleksandr Semashko (pictured first from the right), Chairman of the Board of the Baltic-Black Sea Economic Forum Volodymyr Makukha, Vice-President of the Polish-Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce Elżbieta Bodio and Co-Head of companies from Turkey Ahmet Annaiev took part in the working meeting.
