Seize the land - destroy science: why NAAS lands cannot be transferred to the State Property Fund

The lands used by the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences allow scientists to finance research in sufficient volume and develop agrarian science in Ukraine. In addition, NAAS enterprises pay millions of hryvnias in taxes from the use of state lands, which fills the state budget. Despite this, the State Property Fund is trying to seize land from the NAAS, UNN writes.

In the context of the full-scale war unleashed by Russia against Ukraine, the stability of the agricultural sector has become the basis of the resilience of the Ukrainian economy. Therefore, the development of agricultural science is not about theory, but a practical tool for economic recovery. At the same time, land is not just a resource, but a financial and production basis for development. 

Currently, the most powerful generator of scientific development in the agricultural sector is the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences. However, recently the lands belonging to the research institutions of the NAAS have become the object of close interest from the State Property Fund. The latter has set its sights on 135,000 hectares of scientists' land. 

Land finances science

The structure of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences is built in such a way that the institution and its structural subdivisions are able to provide for their own needs. Of course, the state allocates funds for the development of agricultural science, but along with this, research enterprises themselves ensure their functioning. 

"All research enterprises of the Academy are enterprises that are on self-financing, and they do not receive a single hryvnia from the budget," said Valeriy Adamchuk, Chief Scientific Secretary of the NAAS, Director of the NSC Institute of Mechanics and Automation of Agro-Industrial Production.

In particular, the land that is in the permanent use of enterprises and institutions of the NAAS is used for further financing of scientific research. 

Natalia Bunyak, Director of the Nosivska Breeding and Research Station of the Myronivka Institute of Wheat named after V.M. Remesla of the NAAS, also notes that land is a tool for financing science. Her research enterprise is a prime example of how the financial ecosystem works in the Academy.

For example, in 2021, the station received the largest amount of funding from the state budget in the last five years – 611 thousand hryvnias per year. The smallest it was in 2023 – 348 thousand hryvnias per year. That is, on average, the state spent approximately 35-40 thousand hryvnias per month on the entire institution. 

At the same time, as a result of economic activity, on the lands that are in permanent use, 158 million hryvnias were received into the special fund in five years. That is, on average, we earned 31.6 million hryvnias per year. Of this amount, 24.2 million hryvnias were paid in taxes

According to her, last year alone, her enterprise paid 5.7 million hryvnias, which on average is 5,800 hryvnias per hectare, with a minimum tax liability of 1,300 hryvnias. 

The amount of funds that the institution independently earns to the special fund, and in 2024 it is almost 42 million hryvnias, allows to pay an average monthly salary of 18 thousand hryvnias, to carry out capital expenditures within 9 million hryvnias

She added that the spring field work is now being completed with its own modern equipment.

And this is just an example of one research enterprise. However, these figures are an eloquent answer to the question of the efficiency of managing the lands owned by the NAAS. State-owned enterprises finance science, fill the state budget and provide a decent salary to their employees.

The State Property Fund has little land

The National Academy of Agrarian Sciences, after a corresponding government decision, last year already transferred 210 thousand hectares of land plots that it managed to the State Property Fund. However, according to scientists, these lands are used inefficiently.

Of this amount of state land, a little more than 90,000 were transferred to LLC "State Land Bank", which was supposed to lease them. However, only 40,000 hectares were put up for auction, and only 20,000 hectares were leased.  

The land is empty, it does not bring profit and thus loses its efficiency – it is the fertility of the soil

Now the State Property Fund is aiming at another 135 thousand hectares of land that is in the use of the NAAS.

The National Academy of Agrarian Sciences noted that they are ready for a transparent dialogue with the SPFU. Scientists confirm that they are ready to transfer lands that are really used inefficiently, but the complete landlessness of the NAAS will lead to catastrophic consequences for the development of agricultural science in Ukraine.

The Academy emphasizes that the SPFU should listen to the arguments of the NAAS regarding which lands they need for the development of science.

At the same time, scientists note that in order for the Academy to function fully, it must have a minimum of 180,000 hectares of land.

Therefore, the issue of land transfer used in the NAAS needs to be approached extremely carefully and cautiously. After all, there is a risk that this may eventually become the dismantling of agricultural science and the foundations of state agricultural policy in the future.

Position of the Agrarian Committee of the Council

The members of the Committee of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on Agrarian and Land Policy have a similar position. Deputies also see serious threats to the state from the chaotic landlessness of the NAAS.

As a result of hearing the positions of the parties, the Agrarian Committee of the Council demands that the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine not withdraw state land plots belonging to the NAAS in favor of the State Property Fund. Deputies are convinced that the landlessness of the Academy will have several serious negative consequences for the further development of the state, in particular, the reduction of jobs, which will lead to social tension in the conditions of war and undermine the food and economic security of Ukraine.

Neglecting Ukrainian scientific leading schools that have been formed over many decades may lead to the fact that only foreign varieties of agricultural crops will be grown in Ukrainian fields, imported feed additives and veterinary medicine preparations will be used, foreign breeds will be kept on farms, and domestic agro-industrial production will become completely import-dependent, parliamentarians believe.

In addition, deputies are not satisfied with the activities of the State Property Fund. The Agrarian Committee of the Council insists on a detailed analysis of the lands that were seized by the SPFU and subsequently transferred to sublease. People's deputies suspect that the State Property Fund did not take into account the type of land and transferred land for sublease in violation of the law. Parliamentarians also demand data on the land that was transferred to the Fund, but not leased, with an explanation of the reasons.