Operators have already returned more than 1,100 hectares of agricultural land to use under the state compensation programme for the demining of agricultural land. In particular, in March, the 434-hectare plot of the Institute of Potato Growing of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, where artillery shells and mines were discovered and removed, was handed over.

“Six months ago, the figure of 1,000 hectares cleared of mines sounded too ambitious. Today it is already a result. These are fields that are being sown with wheat and other crops right now. This is the future harvest, instead of the dangerous remnants of war. And, no less importantly, it is a component of food security not only for Ukraine but also for the world. The state has not only declared its interest in demining farmland, but has created a tool that allows us to return security to Ukrainian land metre by metre,” said Yuliia Svyrydenko, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy of Ukraine.

In total, since the start of the programme, auctions have been held for 56 applications covering more than 11,000 hectares. Work is ongoing under 40 concluded agreements covering an area of about 9,400 hectares.

Seven deals with a total value of UAH 52 million have been fully closed, and 1,102.9 hectares have been returned to use. These are three sites in Mykolaiv region (131.4 hectares), two sites in Kyiv region (921.9 hectares), Kherson region (21.1 hectares) and Kharkiv region (28.5 hectares).

The state programme to compensate for the cost of demining agricultural land was launched in September 2024. Under the programme, the Government will compensate 100% of the cost of demining agricultural land for farmers who decide to clear their land after 15 April 2024. The programme also provides for compensation for farmers who cleared their fields between 24 February 2022 and 15 April 2024. The amount of such compensation is 80%. To do this, the farmer must submit all the documents required by the relevant resolution.

The farmer can apply through the State Agrarian Register. After that, the verification is carried out by the Centre for Humanitarian Demining, checking whether the farmer has no tax debt (except for land tax and unified social contribution for Group IV taxpayers), is not in bankruptcy or business termination, is not under National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine sanctions, and the ultimate owner is not a citizen of the aggressor country.