According to the “Assessment of the Labor Market of Ukraine 2024–2025” conducted by Helvetas Ukraine in partnership with the State Employment Service and the Federation of Employers of Ukraine, 39% of agricultural companies report a serious shortage of personnel. The issue ranks among the top concerns of employers in the sector.
Mobilization and Migration: Two Major Disruptors
Dmytro Kokhan, Deputy Chairman of the All-Ukrainian Agrarian Council (VAR), emphasized during the study’s presentation that mobilization remains the primary challenge impacting the labor supply.
“Of course, the defense of the country is a priority. But agriculture, like other sectors, is under intense pressure from labor shortages due to mobilization,” — said Kokhan.
Adding to the challenge is rural depopulation and youth migration to cities or abroad. Urbanization trends are making it increasingly difficult for agricultural businesses to find young, motivated professionals in rural areas.
Initiatives to Bring Youth Back to Agriculture
In an attempt to address the talent gap, VAR has partnered with the educational platform SvitOsvit to introduce an optional school program called “Agrosphere”. This initiative is designed to spark early interest in modern agriculture among school students.
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Already active in 150 schools, with 85 more teachers currently undergoing training.
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The program is expected to reach over 230 educational institutions by next year.
“This is a long-term strategy to bring young talent into the agri-sector and change perceptions of agriculture as outdated or unattractive,” Kokhan noted.
Outdated Education vs. High-Tech Equipment
The gap between vocational training and real-world agricultural machinery is another obstacle. As Kokhan explained:
“Our machinery evolves every five years, but vocational schools often teach students on outdated models. When graduates enter the job market, they need 12 to 18 months of retraining just to operate modern equipment.”
This disconnect slows down productivity and deters businesses from hiring inexperienced candidates.
Call for Public-Private Partnerships in Education
The study concludes with a clear recommendation: greater state investment in agricultural education, including collaboration with the private sector, is essential.
Businesses are ready to support vocational training but call on the government to upgrade the material and technical base of educational institutions, ensuring that graduates are job-ready from day one.
Final Thought
As Ukraine looks to strengthen food security and agricultural exports during wartime and recovery, solving the labor shortage in the sector is not optional — it’s urgent. Attracting youth, modernizing education, and supporting local training programs could help restore balance and keep one of Ukraine’s most strategic sectors on a path to sustainable growth.
