Sustainable Agriculture in Ukraine : From Resource-Intensive Farming to Agroecological Systems

This book examines how Ukraine’s agricultural system can move from resource-intensive production toward more sustainable and agroecological pathways. It will appeal to scholars, students, policymakers, and practitioners in agricultural economics, environmental policy, sustainable development, rural studies, and food system governance.

This book examines how Ukraine’s agricultural system can move from resource-intensive production toward more sustainable, resilient, and agroecological pathways. It shows why this transition matters not only for Ukraine, but also for global food security. Combining agricultural economics, environmental governance, and resource management, the volume offers an integrated account of the forces reshaping Ukrainian agriculture. It analyzes the country’s natural resource base—chernozem soils, water systems, forests, and biodiversity—alongside the historical evolution of farming structures, land policy, and the environmental and social trade-offs of industrial agriculture. It also situates these issues within the wider context of war, post-war recovery, and the strategic choices that will shape the future of Ukrainian agriculture. The book addresses soil degradation, nutrient imbalances, pollution, war-related contamination, climate risks, and landscape fragmentation, while also examining how digital and precision technologies, sustainability metrics, data systems, reporting frameworks, climate finance, and scenario analysis can support a more governable transition. By linking environmental diagnosis with policy design, investment priorities, and institutional change, the book offers readers a clear framework for understanding both the vulnerabilities of the current model and the pathways to long-term agricultural resilience. This book will appeal to scholars, students, policymakers, and practitioners in agricultural economics, environmental policy, sustainable development, rural studies, and food system governance.