Ukrainian Food System on the Way to Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals: Prerequisites and Modern Challenges

The Global Sustainable Development Goals, announced by the UN General Assembly in 2015, today serve as a guideline for developing the national economy of Ukraine and its food system. The unprecedented challenges of the new millennium – the pandemic and the military aggression of the Russian Federation – distanced Ukraine from their implementation. In this regard, the article aims to reveal the prerequisites for the development of the food system and identify today's challenges to determine the most effective and efficient directions for solving problems and means of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. The research uses the following methods: systemic generalization – to systematize the risks and challenges of the food system in the context of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals; method of comparisons and dynamic method – to assess the state of production and consumption; regression equations – to determine the forecast indicators of individual indicators of the Sustainable Development Goals and possible changes in food consumption volumes in the future. The content of the concept of sustainability and sustainable development of the food system was defined. Prerequisites for the sustainable development of the food system were identified, particularly Ukraine's leadership in food exports, the existing potential of land, and the growth of food production and consumption. The work assessed food production indices during periods of crisis, such as during a pandemic and martial law. A functional diagram of the food system's prerequisites and challenges for sustainable development in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals has been developed. An analysis of the dynamics of individual SDG indicators and trends in their development was carried out. Indicators of sufficiency of consumption of basic food products by recommended consumption standards are analyzed. The results of the study show that despite the unprecedented challenges, the food system of Ukraine is gradually adapting to modern conditions, restoring the economy and strengthening food security in the regions of Ukraine; humanitarian, economic, and economic ties are being established.