From prioritising contaminated land in Izium to assessing soil for the safe return of farmland, Ukraine and Japan are strengthening cooperation across the full recovery cycle. These areas were discussed during two working meetings between the Ministry of Economy and Environment of Ukraine and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

“Cleared land must become usable land. This requires setting priorities based on community needs, assessing soil safety, and connecting demining with recovery planning and economic activity. Our cooperation with JICA helps bring these elements together and strengthen Ukraine’s capacity for the long term,” said Deputy Minister Ihor Bezkaravainyi.

The parties reviewed the implementation of the Izium Pilot Project, including the timeline for rehabilitation works and the necessary security measures. GRIT has already been used within the project, alongside consultations with local communities, to help prioritise land plots.

Ukraine is developing GRIT as a prioritisation system that combines mine action data with information on infrastructure damage and socio-economic conditions. The parties discussed piloting an AI-based building damage assessment module and updating GRIT’s economic and social methodology in Kharkiv oblast. They also explored how data-driven prioritisation could help identify small farmers and rural households in need of support under a planned FAO/WFP pilot initiative.

The next step after clearance is ensuring that land can safely return to use. To support this process, Ukraine and JICA discussed the proposed Soil Analysis Center of Excellence. Rather than creating a new institution, the initiative would connect Ukrainian laboratories and institutions through unified methodologies for soil sampling, analysis, and assessment.

The Institute of Soil Protection of Ukraine is expected to serve as the network’s core institution, with the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine and other laboratories potentially involved. JICA will consider possible support, including expert assistance, training, and study visits to Japan.

JICA also plans to share the results of its Women, Peace and Security study visit to Japan with Ukraine’s newly established Gender Working Group. The Group will develop practical recommendations to increase women’s participation in mine action.

The meetings confirmed a shared approach: humanitarian demining should lead to measurable recovery outcomes for communities, farmers, and the Ukrainian economy. Ukraine values JICA’s continued partnership in building the technology, expertise, and institutional capacity needed to achieve this.