On May 13, 2026, under the chairmanship of the President of the NAS of Ukraine, academician Anatoliy Zahorodniy, the next meeting of the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine was held.
The report "Modern Plant Biotechnology in Solving the Problems of the Agro-Industrial Complex of Ukraine" was presented by the Deputy Director for Scientific Work of the Institute of Cell Biology and Genetic Engineering of the NAS of Ukraine, Corresponding Member of the NAS of Ukraine Bohdan Morgun.
In his report, he focused on how modern plant biotechnology can help Ukraine respond to the challenges faced by the agro-industrial complex due to war, climate change, and the global food crisis. He emphasized that today the issue of food security is directly related not only to the economy but also to the national resilience of the state.
The speaker noted that after a sharp decline in grain production in 2022, the Ukrainian agricultural sector is gradually recovering, but the yield of major crops still significantly lags behind the average indicators of EU countries. According to him, one of the key ways to overcome this gap is the creation of new high-yielding and resilient plant varieties capable of withstanding drought, diseases, and other adverse factors.
Bohdan Morgun detailed the modern directions of plant biotechnology – in vitro cell and tissue culture, molecular breeding, genetic transformation, and genome editing using the CRISPR/Cas9 system. According to him, these technologies open opportunities for accelerated creation of new varieties of agricultural crops with desired traits.
He paid special attention to the work of the Institute of Cell Biology and Genetic Engineering of the NAS of Ukraine in cooperation with the Institute of Plant Physiology and Genetics of the NAS of Ukraine and the Selection and Genetics Institute of the NAAS of Ukraine. Within this cooperation, modern approaches to molecular breeding of grain crops were developed, and a number of high-yielding winter wheat varieties were created, including Zolotokolosa, Favoritka, Smuglyanka, and Astarta. These varieties are characterized by yields of 12-14 tons per hectare, resistance to diseases and drought, and are already widely used in production.
The report also covered the development of plant genetic engineering. Scientists have created transgenic forms of wheat, corn, and rapeseed resistant to herbicides and with increased adaptability to adverse conditions. Bohdan Morgun noted that due to landmines and prolonged non-use of a significant part of arable land, the problem of weed infestation is becoming increasingly acute, and therefore the use of herbicide-resistant crops may have important economic significance for the restoration of agricultural production.
The speaker also emphasized the importance of new legislation in the field of genetic engineering activities, which after the end of martial law will open new opportunities for the practical implementation of genetically modified plants created by Ukrainian scientists and for further harmonization of Ukrainian legislation with the norms of the European Union.
It was noted that the results of Ukrainian scientists' research already have significant practical implementation: more than 40 varieties of cereal crops have been registered, hundreds of licensing agreements with seed companies have been concluded, and research results have been published in over 280 high-ranking international scientific journals.
Discussion participants emphasized the strategic importance of modern plant biotechnologies for food security and post-war recovery of Ukraine.
The Vice President of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine, academician of NAAS of Ukraine Mykola Patyka, noted the importance of cooperation between the NAS of Ukraine and NAAS of Ukraine in the development of biotechnologies and breeding of new grain crop varieties. He stressed the need for joint scientific programs, development of testing grounds for field research, and legislative support for the introduction of genetically modified plants. He also drew attention to the issue of preserving genetic diversity and creating a modern system for protecting Ukraine's genetic resources.
The Head of the Department of Plant Nutrition Physiology at the Institute of Plant Physiology and Genetics of the NAS of Ukraine, academician of the NAS of Ukraine Viktor Shvartau, emphasized that modern biotechnologies are important not only for increasing yields but also for improving the quality of food products. He pointed out the problem of micronutrient deficiency in nutrition and the importance of creating grain varieties with increased content of beneficial elements and protein. According to him, the development of such technologies forms the basis for positioning Ukraine as a producer of high-quality and safe agricultural products.
The Director of the State Institution "Experimental Agricultural Production of the Institute of Plant Physiology and Genetics of the NAS of Ukraine," Doctor of Agricultural Sciences David Konovalov, focused on the practical implementation of the results of breeding and biotechnological work. He spoke about the large-scale cultivation and dissemination of new wheat varieties of Ukrainian breeding, their resistance to adverse weather conditions, and high grain quality. He also emphasized the importance of maintaining an uninterrupted scientific and production cycle in conditions of war and legislative changes.
The Vice President of the NAS of Ukraine, academician of the NAS of Ukraine Volodymyr Radchenko, noted the high global level of research at the Institute of Cell Biology and Genetic Engineering and their role in ensuring the country's food security. He stressed the need for state support of this direction, development of drought-resistant crop varieties, creation of a nationwide genomic bank, and strengthening the protection of research institution lands.
The Academic Secretary of the Department of General Biology of the NAS of Ukraine, academician of the NAS of Ukraine Serhiy Afanasiev, focused on the new opportunities opened by harmonizing Ukrainian legislation with EU legislation in the field of genome editing. He explained that CRISPR technologies are no longer considered classical GMOs in Europe, which significantly simplifies their further use and commercialization. He also highlighted the prospects of creating wheat varieties with increased protein content and their significant economic potential.
The Academic Secretary of the Department of Economics of the NAS of Ukraine, academician of the NAS of Ukraine Valeriy Heyets, emphasized the need for closer integration of scientific developments with economic mechanisms for their implementation. According to him, a significant portion of promising scientific developments in Ukraine does not reach practical use due to the lack of proper economic support. In this regard, he proposed strengthening cooperation between the departments of the NAS of Ukraine to prepare comprehensive proposals for the implementation of modern biotechnologies.
The Director of the Institute of Cell Biology and Genetic Engineering, academician of the NAS of Ukraine Mykola Kuchuk, drew attention to the medical and veterinary research directions of the Institute. He spoke about work on creating plants producing medically important proteins, including ecarin protein for rapid blood clotting, as well as bacteriocins against salmonella.
Next, the report "Land Legislation of Ukraine in the Conditions of Modern Existential Challenges: Main Problems of Development" was presented by the Head of the Department of Agrarian, Land, Environmental, and Space Law Problems of the V.M. Koretsky Institute of State and Law of the NAS of Ukraine, Corresponding Member of the NAPR of Ukraine Pavlo Kulynych.
He focused on how Ukraine's land legislation must respond to modern challenges – war, climate change, European integration, soil degradation, and digitalization of land relations. He emphasized that the land reform generally ensured the transition to a market model of land relations but at the same time created new problems that require legislative regulation.
The speaker drew attention to the problem of excessive fragmentation of agricultural lands after the division of collective farms and the need to adopt a law on land consolidation. He also stressed the importance of preserving the special protective status of land as the main national wealth and preventing the weakening of the role of land law in the process of legislative reform.
A significant part of Pavlo Kulynych's speech was devoted to the consequences of Russian aggression for Ukraine's land resources. According to him, hostilities caused a new type of problem – military degradation of lands. In this regard, there is a need to develop new legislation on soil restoration, land reclamation, and determining the further use of lands that have suffered significant damage due to the war.
The speaker paid special attention to European integration processes and the need to harmonize Ukrainian land legislation with European Union standards. This included adapting the land market, improving land use mechanisms, and implementing European approaches to greening the agricultural sector.
Pavlo Kulynych also emphasized the need for legislative response to climate change and soil degradation. He stressed the importance of developing carbon farming, implementing modern land protection practices, regular monitoring of soil condition, and strengthening responsibility for soil depletion.
Another direction addressed in the report was the digitalization of land relations. According to the speaker, this involves creating modern digital services for land resource management, transferring a significant part of land documentation to electronic form, and developing online land condition monitoring systems.
During the discussion of the report, participants emphasized the need for further improvement of Ukraine's land legislation in the conditions of war, European integration, and post-war recovery of the state.
The First Deputy Head of the State Service for Geodesy, Cartography, and Cadastre of Ukraine, Doctor of Law Anatoliy Miroshnychenko, supported the main provisions of the report and emphasized the importance of liberalizing the land market and developing digital tools for land resource management. He pointed out the need to improve the work of the State Land Cadastre, reduce excessive regulatory restrictions, and solve the problem of the gap between the legal regime of land plots and the real estate located on them. He also raised the issue of reforming mechanisms for free privatization of land.
The Head of the Department of Land Management Design at the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine, Corresponding Member of the NAAS of Ukraine Andriy Martyn, noted that Pavlo Kulynych's report goes far beyond purely legal analysis and actually concerns the strategic foundations of statehood, food security, and post-war recovery of Ukraine. He stressed the need to rethink the role of land law, develop legislation on land consolidation, strengthen soil protection, and consider European legal principles in reforming land relations. He also warned against excessive "dissolution" of land law in civil legislation, emphasizing the special status of land as the main national wealth.
Academician of the NAS of Ukraine Valeriy Heyets drew attention to the need to consider land policy primarily through the prism of the state's economic interests. He emphasized that mechanisms of free capital movement and the land market must be implemented taking into account the strategic development needs of the country and support for effective land management.
Academician of the NAS of Ukraine Volodymyr Radchenko stressed the importance of protecting especially valuable lands, including lands of research institutions, as well as the need to involve specialists with agrarian education in managing large land areas. He also supported the continuation of the land privatization process for Ukrainian citizens and emphasized the importance of state protection of soils and agricultural territories.
Corresponding Member of the NAS of Ukraine Volodymyr Ustymenko drew attention to global risks to food security associated with growing international instability, changes in global energy markets, and possible fertilizer shortages. He emphasized that under such conditions, Ukraine's role as one of the key global food producers will only increase, and therefore the issue of effective use and protection of land resources has strategic importance.
In conclusion, the Presidium of the NAS of Ukraine considered a number of personnel and current issues.
Photo: Press Service of the NAS of Ukraine
