UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Leaders from Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences helped to lead discussions on rebuilding Ukraine’s agricultural sector during the 2025 World Food Prize Borlaug Dialogue, held Oct. 19-25 in Des Moines, Iowa.
The World Food Prize event is an annual gathering of international leaders, policymakers, scientists and practitioners who focus on addressing global food security challenges through innovation and collaboration. This year’s theme was “Soilutions for Security.”
A side event titled “Regenerative Recovery in Ukraine: Rebuilding from the Ground Up,” co-hosted by the college and the University of Missouri, examined how soil health, regenerative agriculture and ecosystem restoration can serve as the foundation for rebuilding food systems, livelihoods and rural economies in Ukraine, said Deanna Behring, assistant dean and director of Ag Sciences Global in the college.
Behring pointed to information from the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, which states that Ukraine’s soil has been damaged heavily through physical and chemical degradation due to the ongoing war. This has significantly impacted agricultural production, contaminated crops, created large areas of mined and abandoned land, and caused environmental damage estimated to be in the tens of billions of dollars.
“Supporting Ukraine’s agricultural recovery is vital,” she said. “The side event highlighted the urgent challenges and emerging innovations, emphasizing the critical role of healthy soils and regenerative practices in rebuilding sustainable food systems and resilient communities.”
The program, available for viewing on YouTube, featured a keynote address on the Center for Strategic and International Studies’ “Blueprint for an Agricultural Recovery Plan for Ukraine,” a case study on ecological restoration and challenges following the Kakhovka Dam collapse, and a panel discussion featuring Ukrainian and global experts.
During his opening remarks, Troy Ott, dean of Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, noted that the college has a long history of collaboration with Ukrainian partners, spanning disciplines, generations and significant turning points in Ukraine's agricultural history. For the past 29 years, that work has been strengthened and sustained by the Woskob New Century Fund, founded in 1996 by Alex and Helen Woskob.
This fund has supported collaborative research, faculty and student partnerships, and extensive knowledge exchange. As Ukrainian immigrants themselves, the Woskobs sought to create a bridge to foster meaningful exchange between Penn State and Ukrainian communities and institutions. Their son, George, and his wife, Nina, continue that commitment today.
“Ties connecting us to Ukraine are not just professional, they’re personal,” Ott said. “At Penn State, those ties are long-standing as the University’s oldest college. That’s what today’s conversation is about. Recovery is rarely linear. It’s layered, relational and deeply human. We must support land restoration and efforts to rebuild food systems, livelihoods and communities facing ongoing hardship and uncertainty. Soil solutions for security are not only incredibly relevant, but they are urgent. On behalf of Penn State and our president, Neeli Bendapudi, thank you for joining this conversation.”
Attendees from around the world, representing academia, government, industry and nonprofit sectors, participated in the session. Among them was Heidi Kuhn, the 2023 World Food Prize laureate and founder of Roots of Peace. This nonprofit organization transforms areas with landmines and other war remnants into productive farmland in post-conflict regions.
Also participating were Penn State students Matthew O’Donnell, who is majoring in environmental resource management with minors in international agriculture and in watershed and water resources, and Samuel Mundorff, who is majoring in community, environment, and development with a minor in international agriculture.
O’Donnell, of Horsham, said he was drawn to the World Food Prize event as an opportunity to engage in meaningful discussions on agricultural innovation, food security and global development. He was particularly interested in the session on Ukraine, which highlighted creative research and development efforts aimed at removing toxic chemicals from soil and supporting the reintegration of Ukrainian veterans into society.
“I learned from a panel of brave and intelligent workers about the process of rebuilding Ukraine in the midst of the ongoing war,” he said. “I was touched to hear about the resilience of the Ukrainian people and international workers who are fighting and working tirelessly to maintain their freedom and livelihoods. Their work follows a ‘build back better’ approach to recover from the destruction of war, and this starts with healing the land and soil.”
Mundorff, of Ligonier, agreed that attending the World Food Prize’s sessions, including the one on Ukraine, was impactful.
“Through the event, I gained an understanding of how soil health, regenerative agriculture and ecosystem recovery can help with near-term food production, along with long-term sustainability and resilience,” he said. “It was valuable to hear the perspective from each presenter to help us understand how they have addressed the ongoing conflict and the solutions they are proposing.”
In concluding remarks, Leszek Vincent, a professor in the College of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources at the University of Missouri, summarized the session’s priorities for Ukraine’s agricultural recovery using the acronym R.E.C.O.V.E.R.
He highlighted the importance of regenerative recovery for soil and sustainable farming; empowering veterans through agribusiness; fostering collaborative international efforts; optimizing water use with modern irrigation; creating veteran agro-hubs for training and support; providing education and mentoring for sustainable practices; and building resilient agricultural and water systems to ensure future food security.