On September 5, 2024, the Land Bank project for the lease of state agricultural land was presented to the members of the Ukrainian Agri Council (UAC).

During the event, the issues of leasing land plots (managed by the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine (NAAS) and state-owned enterprises) to farmers for economic activity were discussed.

Andrii Dykun, the UAC Chairman, emphasized the importance of this step: “Hundreds of thousands of hectares of land will finally be withdrawn from the management of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences and transferred to effective owners. We expect to receive all the answers to the questions, because people have concern on those decisions on the distribution of these lands have already been made in advance.”

According to Ihor Tymoshenko, Deputy Head of the State Property Fund, land auctions started on August 30.

“This is the moment we have been going for a long time. Currently, 24 plots with a total area of 1,600 hectares are being auctioned on Prozorro. We update information about new lots every day and are very interested in farmers participating in these auctions - it is transparent, accessible and open. The Cabinet of Ministers has the political will to make this reform irreversible,” he said.

Serhiy But, Chairman of the Board of Prozorro.Sale, spoke in detail about the technical platform on which the auctions were held.

“Electronic auctions for the lease and sale of land plots are an important component of the land reform that began before the war. Since 2021, auctions for more than UAH 4 billion have been held, including the lease and sale of agricultural and development land. In 2023 and 2024, about 20,000 auctions for agricultural land took place, through which 62,000 hectares were leased. These volumes will continue to grow, and the Land Bank will have an accelerating effect on this,” said Serhiy But.

According to Ihor Tymoshenko, Deputy Head of the State Property Fund, the ultimate goal of the Land Bank is to cover 806,000 hectares of state land. As of today, 386,000 hectares are owned by the State Property Fund, of which 98,000 hectares are under temporary occupation. Additionally, 287,000 hectares remain under the management of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences, which is a significant potential for future auctions. In addition, 98,000 hectares of land under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education and Science will also be involved in the process.

The presentation of the Land Bank aroused the interest of the participants, as it opens a new stage of transparent management of state land.