Keywords
agricultural sector
European integration
partnerships in the agricultural sector
sustainable development
How to Cite
Abstract
The article examines the strategic potential of partnerships as a mechanism for enhancing resilience, competitiveness, and innovation in Ukraine’s agricultural sector amid full-scale war and European integration. It is demonstrated that partnerships (cooperative, cluster-based, logistical, export-oriented, innovative-digital, public-private, and intersectoral) realize their potential by reducing transaction costs, consolidating resources, increasing bargaining power, and diversifying sales channels. Based on empirical data from Eurostat, OECD, and regulatory decisions adopted in 2024–2025, partnership mechanisms can be regarded as one of the factors behind export-logistics restructuring, broader access to the EU market, and the digitalization of the agricultural sector, while their contribution to rural recovery requires further verification. Strategic directions for development are generalized: cluster-network integration, cooperation among small and medium-sized producers, digital-innovative partnerships, and partnerships for sustainable development. Ukraine’s experience in 2022–2025 indicates an accelerated structural transformation of the agricultural sector under the combined impact of war-related challenges and European integration benchmarks.
References
1. Alzate Rendón, I. C., Álvarez Gallo, S. M., & Boada, A. (2025). Supply chain resilience through collaborative networks and dynamic capabilities: evidence from an agri-food productive chain in Colombia. Discover Sustainability, (6), 1312. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-025-02094-9
2. Bodnar, O., Halchynska, Yu., Larina, Ya., Filatova, A., & Stepanets, I. (2024). Logistics transformation on grain and oilseeds markets during the war in Ukraine: Marketing approaches and strategies. Scientific Horizons, 27(9), 134-147. https://doi.org/10.48077/scihor9.2024.134
3. Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. (2024). On approval of the Strategy for the Development of Agriculture and Rural Areas in Ukraine for the period until 2030 and approval of the operational plan of measures for its implementation in 2025–2027: Order No. 1163-r dated November 15, 2024. https://www.kmu.gov.ua/npas/pro-skhvalennia-stratehii-rozvytku-silskoho-hospodarstva-ta-silskykh-terytorii-v-ukraini-na-period-i151124-1163
4. Campoverde-Molina, M., & Luján-Mora, S. (2025). Cybersecurity in smart agriculture: A systematic literature review. Computers & Security, (150). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cose.2024.104284
5. Dibbern, T., Romani, L., & Massruhá, S. (2025). Drivers and barriers to digital agriculture adoption: a mixed-methods analysis of challenges and opportunities in Latin American. Sustainability, 17(8), 3676. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17083676
6. European Commission. (2024). Eco-schemes. European Commission. https://agriculture.ec.europa.eu/common-agricultural-policy/income-support/eco-schemes_en
7. European Commission. (2024). Producer and interbranch organisations. European Commission. https://agriculture.ec.europa.eu/common-agricultural-policy/agri-food-supply-chain/producer-and-interbranch-organisations_en
8. European Commission. (2025). CAP Strategic Plans. European Commission. https://agriculture.ec.europa.eu/cap-my-country/cap-strategic-plans_en
9. European Court of Auditors. (2024). Special report 20/2024: Common Agricultural Policy Plans – Greener, but not matching the EU’s ambitions for the climate and the environment. European Court of Auditors. https://www.eca.europa.eu/en/publications/SR-2024-20
10. European integration portal. (2025). Report on Implementation of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the European Union. European integration portal. https://eu-ua.kmu.gov.ua/wp-content/uploads/Zvit-Ugoda-pro-asotsiatsiyu-EN.pdf
11. European Parliament. (2013). Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 establishing a common organisation of the markets in agricultural products and repealing Council Regulations (EEC) No 922/72, (EEC) No 234/79, (EC) No 1037/2001 and (EC) No. 1234/2007. EUR-Lex. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2013/1308/oj/eng
12. European Parliament. (2019). Directive (EU) 2019/633 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 April 2019 on unfair trading practices in business-to-business relationships in the agricultural and food supply chain. EUR-Lex. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2019/633/oj/eng
13. Eurostat. (2025). Trade in goods with Ukraine in 2024. Eurostat. https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-eurostat-news/w/ddn-20250507-1
14. Fieldsend, A. F., Varga, E., Biró, S., von Münchhausen, S., & Häring, A. M. (2022). Multi-actor co-innovation partnerships in agriculture, forestry and related sectors in Europe: Contrasting approaches to implementation. Agricultural Systems, (202). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2022.103472
15. He, Y., & Chen, Y. (2024). The Impact of agricultural cooperatives on farmers’ agricultural revenue: Evidence from rural China. Sustainability, 16(24), 10979. https://doi.org/10.3390/su162410979
16. Jamai, K., Abidar, A., De Steur, H., & Gellynck, X. (2022). Assessing firm readiness to adopt cluster-based innovative projects: a segmentation analysis. Sustainability, 14(2), 947. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14020947
17. Kalogiannidis, S., Karafolas, S., & Chatzitheodoridis, F. (2024). The key role of cooperatives in sustainable agriculture and agrifood security: evidence from Greece. Sustainability, 16(16), 7202. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16167202
18. Karampela, S., Kizos, T., & Koutsouris, A. (2025). The interplay of pro-innovative behavior, trust, and farm viability for sustainability in the united winemaking agricultural cooperative of Samos. Agriculture, 15(18), 1921. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15181921
19. Kutsmus, N., Zinchuk, T., Usiuk, T., Prokopchuk, O., & Palamarchuk, T. (2024). War in Ukraine: Impact on global agri-food trade. Scientific Horizons, 27(3), 130–142. https://doi.org/10.48077/scihor3.2024.130
20. Malik, M., Kravchenko, S., Shpykuliak, O., Lupenko, A., & Sакоvska, O. (2024). Status and development prospects of agricultural cooperatives in the context of European integration processes. Ekonomika APK, 31(6), 69–79. https://doi.org/10.32317/ekon.apk/6.2024.69
21. McFadden, J., Casalini, F., Griffin, T., & Antón, J. (2022). The digitalisation of agriculture: A literature review and emerging policy issues. Paris: OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/285cc27d-en
22. OECD. (2023). Policies for the Future of Farming and Food in the European Union. Paris: OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/32810cf6-en
23. OECD. (2025). OECD Economic Surveys: Ukraine 2025. Paris: OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/940cee85-en
24. Paraschou, M., Sergaki, P., Kalogeras, N., Nastis, S. A., & Staboulis, C. (2025). Agricultural cooperatives: roadblocks to achieving sustainability. Sustainability, 17(17), 8012. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17178012
25. Perehuda, Y. (2023). European integration and updating of Ukraine's agricultural policy in terms of the competitiveness of livestock products. Bulletin of East European University of Economics and Management, 2(30), 41–49. https://doi.org/10.58252/2078-1628-2023-2(30)-004
26. Perehuda, Y. (2023). Regulation of the competitiveness of the industries of the agricultural sector of the economy under the conditions of application of digital marketing tools. Economics and Business Management, 14(2), 33–45. https://doi.org/10.31548/economics14(2).2023.033
27. Perehuda, Y., & Korobova, N. (2023). Export and import operations in the livestock products market amid economic challenges. Scientific Notes of Lviv University of Business and Law. Economic Series, (38), 297–306. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8383441
28. Pimenow, S., Pimenowa, O., Sitnicki, M. W., Dluhopolskyi, O., & Zieliński, M. (2026). Energy use, costs and economic resilience of EU agriculture: The Role and potential of CAP eco-schemes in reducing energy intensity. Energies, 19(4), 1016. https://doi.org/10.3390/en19041016
29. Rivera, M., Fieldsend, A., Muñoz-Rojas, J., Martin, S., & Van Dijk, L. (2025). Drivers of success when scaling innovations: insights from European agricultural and forestry co-innovation processes. Agronomy for Sustainable Development, (45), 32. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13593-025-01025-2
30. Shpykuliak, O., Malik, M., Kravchenko, S., & Zaburanna, L. (2024). Organisational and economic support for the development of business enterprises in agriculture under martial law. Ekonomika APK, 31(2), 60–70. https://doi.org/10.32317/2221-1055.202402060
31. Silva, F. T. d., Baierle, I. C., Correa, R. G. d. F., Sellitto, M. A., Peres, F. A. P., & Kipper, L. M. (2023). Open innovation in agribusiness: barriers and challenges in the transition to agriculture 4.0. Sustainability, 15(11), 8562. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15118562
32. Sitnicka, K., & Serhiienko, R. (2025). Business adaptation to extreme conditions: analysis of business shocks in the context of the war in Ukraine. SocioEconomic Challenges, 9(4), 216–255. https://doi.org/10.61093/sec.9(4).216-255.2025
33. Sitnicki, M. W., Kurinskyi, D., Pimenowa, O., Wasilewski, M., & Wasilewska, N. (2024). Strategic formation of agricultural market clusters in Ukraine: Emerging as a global player. Sustainability, 16(21), 9430. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16219430
34. Sitnicki, M. W., Prykaziuk, N., Ludmila, H., Pimenowa, O., Imbrea, F., Șmuleac, L., & Pașcalău, R. (2024). Regional perspective of using cyber insurance as a tool for protection of agriculture 4.0. Agriculture, 14(2), 320. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14020320
35. Sitnicki, M., & Kurinskyi, D. (2022). Managerial perspectives of the development of the domestic agricultural industry in the conditions of Ukraine's status as a candidate for membership of the European Union. Efektyvna ekonomika, (8). https://doi.org/10.32702/2307-2105.2022.8.14
36. World Bank. (2025). Ukraine – Delivering Resilient Infrastructure in Vulnerable Environments Project. Washington, D. C.: World Bank Group. http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/09903192514052499531
37. Yanovska, V., Król, M., & Pittman, R. (2025). The logistics of grain exports from wartime Ukraine: What are the highest priority areas to address? Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives, (30), 101363. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trip.2025.101363
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) 2026 Mykola Malik