CURRENT PRIORITIES FOR IMPROVING THE INVESTMENT ATTRACTIVENESS OF THE AGRI-FOOD SECTOR OF UKRAINE

Abstract

Ukraine's agri-food sector is one of the leading sectors of the national economy, and it plays a key role in ensuring the country's food security and building its export potential. Developing effective models of state support, investment attraction tools, and active promotion of Ukrainian agricultural products are key areas that can contribute to the sustainable development of the industry. Successful resolution of these tasks will allow the agricultural sector to become an important driver of Ukraine's economic growth and ensure its food independence in the face of global challenges.The study's purpose is to analyze the main directions of state support for the agri-food sector, through subsidies, tax benefits, financing, and other programs, as well as to study the role of promoting Ukrainian agricultural products in international food markets, etc.

It has been established that improving Ukraine's agri-food sector's investment attractiveness requires a comprehensive approach, mainly through legislative reform, new financial mechanisms, and the protection of investors' rights. Under such conditions, the agri-food sector will realize its investment and natural resource potential and become an important driver of the country's economic growth. The success of these reforms depends on the interaction of the government, business, and society as a basis for creating stable and favorable conditions for intensifying investment processes. One of the key tools for supporting the agri-food sector is state investment programs (subsidies, tax benefits, affordable loans, etc.) aimed at modernizing agri-food production, increasing its productivity, and ensuring food security. At the same time, the active promotion of Ukrainian agricultural products internationally is an important factor in attracting investment and expanding export opportunities where the competitive advantages of Ukrainian agricultural products (high quality, safety, sustainable development, and affordability) create prerequisites for their successful promotion in the global food and agricultural raw materials markets. We identify the main directions of investment in the latest technologies and modernization of agri-food production, as well as the primary strategic priorities of its sustainable development. In the current development conditions, the agri-food sector is a fundamental component of the national economy of Ukraine, which ensures food security, forms a significant share of exports, and creates large-scale jobs. However, in the context of the country's martial law and global challenges, this sector of the economy needs systematic investment support to maintain its competitiveness and sustainability. At the same time, increasing the investment attractiveness of the agri-food sector requires reforming legislation, introducing new financial mechanisms for implementing agri-food programs, and ensuring the protection of investors' rights.