New research into the impacts of war on Ukraine's farmland is set
to launch with £500,000 funding from Defra to the Royal
Agricultural University.
Farming Minister today set out how this
research will support Ukraine's farmers – guardians of the
breadbasket of Europe. The research will fund UK researchers to
analyse the impact of the war on Ukrainian soil, establish
bespoke facilities in Ukrainian laboratories, and train
specialists in Ukraine.
Soil pollution caused by Russia's illegal invasion is a pressing
issue for Ukraine. Ukraine's farmland has suffered significant
damage from Russian bombardments and other war-related toxic
pollutants, as heavy metals and chemicals are leached into the
earth, leading to the degradation of soil health. This
damage to Ukraine's soil presents real, and potentially long
term, risks to the food production, yields and farmer
safety.
This research is vital to understanding the impacts of this
pollution, as well as potential solutions. It is crucial to help
develop Ukraine's capacity to analyse and address soil health in
the long term, strengthening the food security of Ukraine and in
turn global food security.
, Minister for Food Security
and Rural Affairs, said:
The UK's support for Ukraine is ironclad.
This research is vital, helping Ukraine in understanding the
impact the pollution from war has had on its soils and give them
vital tools to recover farmland.
This funding forms part of our commitment in 100-year partnership
with Ukraine to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with their farmers to
deliver food production and environmental protection for the
nation.
Professor Mark Horton, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research and
Enterprise at the Royal Agricultural University,
said:
The war in Ukraine has severely damaged soil health across
bombarded agricultural regions, threatening future food
production and the country's long-term recovery. This research
will enhance Ukraine's capacity to restore and manage its soils,
laying an early groundwork for a more resilient, productive, and
sustainable agriculture.
With this funding, the Royal Agricultural University will work
closely with our Ukrainian partners to train local experts,
establish state-of-the-art soil laboratories, and analyse
thousands of soil samples across key farming
regions.
These efforts are essential to building the tools and capacity
Ukraine needs to safeguard its soil, ensure food security, and
support national regeneration.
The Royal Agricultural University will work with Ukraine's Sumy
National Agrarian University in training experts in the country,
establishing soil analysis functions in laboratories, and
analysing over 8,000 soil samples across five regions, including
Sumy and Kherson.
This funding follows the launch of the UK's Grain Verification
Scheme, announced earlier this year alongside the 100 Year
Partnership, to help track grain stolen from occupied areas of
Ukraine.
