Recently, the State Property Fund sought to seize 135,000 hectares of land from the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine. After considering the issue at the Verkhovna Rada committee, the deputies recommended to the Cabinet of Ministers not to alienate these lands and to study the situation in detail. The head of the Institute of Agriculture of the North-East of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences, Vitaliy Kabanets, spoke about the work of agricultural scientists and the practical importance of land in an exclusive commentary for UNN.
In fact, the Institute of Agriculture of the North-East of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences itself has 285 hectares of land at risk, and its subdivision, the Vyrisalne research farm, has more than 630 hectares.
Details
"The Institute has been working on these land plots for more than 100 years. Initially, it was mostly agrotechnical research, various tests, and so on. But since the 80s, they started to engage in selection as well," says Vitaliy Kabanets, acting director of the Institute of Agriculture of the North-East of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences.
According to the scientist, the main crop that has been studied here for almost 50 years is buckwheat. "For the first time in Ukraine, determinant varieties of buckwheat were created at the institute. There is a common morphotype, tall, and there is a determinant one. It is lower, earlier maturing, it does not lodge so much, it has better technological properties, shows better yields, and so on," Kabanets explains.
That is, it is about the fact that scientists in new varieties of plants lay down the characteristics of faster ripening, easier cultivation and harvesting, and higher yields. These developments are of national importance.
The world record for the yield of the "Sumchanka" variety (buckwheat - ed.) also belongs to the variety directly selected by our scientific institution. During this time, more than ten varieties of buckwheat, both common and determinant morphotypes, have been created, which occupy about half of the buckwheat area in Ukraine - varieties selected by the institute occupy about half of the sown area
In addition to buckwheat, the Institute is engaged in the selection of fodder grasses, amaranth, confectionery sunflower, and for the last ten years - also sowing hemp. New varieties are registered only when they surpass already known ones in yield, quality or other indicators, so each new variety is a way to increase yield, income and profitability.
"In 21, we registered the first variety of industrial hemp, it is "Sofia", and in 24, last year, we registered the variety "Katyusha". Last year, varieties of hemp selected by the institute occupied almost 60% of the sown area in Ukraine (of all lands sown with industrial hemp - ed.)," says Kabanets.
The Institute's activities cover not only crop production, but also animal husbandry - they have research farms and hatcheries where they breed cattle and pigs for offspring, restoration and increase of livestock, so that animals are healthier and more productive.
The Institute also actively responds to various modern challenges, in particular, climate change.
We are observing climate change, in particular global warming, and in breeding work we select genotypes that are more resistant to drought. On the basis of them, we create new varieties. We try to popularize our achievements: we conduct demonstration polygons, one of which is even listed in the Book of Records of Ukraine as the longest in terms of the number of varieties and crops, we regularly organize field days and since 2018 we have been holding the International Industrial Hemp Festival Hemp Fest
Obviously, land for scientific institutions is not just a plot on the map. It is a space where new ideas are born, important research is conducted, varieties are bred that can ensure stable yields even in difficult climatic conditions. Not only yields in specific fields, but also the food security of the entire country, the development of the agricultural sector and the well-being of people depend on this work. Preserving land for scientists is an investment in the future, in stability and in ensuring that Ukraine can confidently look to the future.
Let us remind you
Earlier, the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences reported that the Academy currently includes 82 scientific institutions, including 32 institutes, 39 stations, the temporarily occupied biosphere reserve "Askania Nova" and 91 state enterprises. Despite the lack of funding from the state and the difficult situation due to the war, these institutions continue to operate, independently provide for their needs and retain jobs for people. This is especially important for villages and small towns, where NAAS enterprises are often the only place where people can work, receive salaries and have a stable life.