Soil is not simply a substrate for seeds. It is a living system that breathes, becomes exhausted and rewards those who take care of it.

At the Profitable Field conference organized by AgriLab, a panel discussion unfolded that, in both emotion and depth, felt less like a professional meeting and more like a manifesto for a new approach to farming.

Moderator Leonid Tsentуlo and experts Andrii Shchedrinov, Mykola Bykov, Mykhailo Drahanchuk and Elina Zakharchenko tackled one of the most important questions facing modern agriculture: how can farmers maintain profitability without exhausting the heart of our country — its soil?

The Cost of Tradition and Freedom from the Plough

Have you ever considered how much we pay for farming out of habit?

For decades, ploughing was treated as an unquestionable standard. Today, however, it is increasingly associated with moisture losses and unnecessary costs. But does moving away from the iron that turns the soil really have to cost a fortune?

Andrii Shchedrinov believes the transition is primarily an evolution in mindset, not a burden on the bank account. It is a gradual process in which yields do not necessarily decline, but become more stable — freeing farmers from the constraints of the plough.

Crop Residues: Waste or a Gold Reserve?

For many farmers, crop residues are simply a headache for combines and seeders. But should we really burn or bury something we have already paid to produce?

Mykhailo Drahanchuk urges farmers to see corn and wheat residues not as waste, but as a “bulletproof vest” for the soil.

They are an investment in temperature regulation and erosion protection. The key question is not how to get rid of residues, but how to manage them.

Can we turn a “problem” into a resource capable of preserving moisture through the harshest heat?

Moisture as an Asset: The Currency of the Future

As the climate becomes increasingly unpredictable, moisture is becoming more valuable than diesel fuel.

Do you know the true value of every millimeter of rainfall on your field?

Mykola Bykov brought attention back to a sometimes-forgotten field of agronomy — agrometeorology. Every millimeter of rainfall can translate into 7–16 kg of corn grain.

Can we afford to farm “by eye” when investors from Japan have long been building mathematical models to quantify Ukraine’s moisture resources?

Elina Zakharchenko added that we are still relying on reference data from the 1960s, even though the land beneath our feet has changed dramatically.

It is time to update not only our machinery, but also the formulas we use to calculate future profitability.

Where Is the Risk Limit? Between Disease and Efficiency

Fear of disease often drives farmers to apply more chemistry than necessary.

Is it really true that without ploughing, a field will turn into a breeding ground for pathogens?

The experts were unanimous: risk emerges where management is lacking.

Yes, corn residues can contribute to Fusarium infection in wheat. But that is a signal that crop rotation is not merely a recommendation — it is a rule.

With proper management, pesticide use does not necessarily increase. Instead, it can be optimized.

Are we ready to trust agronomic science rather than simply putting out fires with expensive crop-protection products?

Soil Biology: Real Life or Clever Marketing?

Are there really “magic pills” in a canister?

In an era of aggressive marketing, it is easy to believe in the magic of biological products. But the truth is much deeper.

As Andrii Shchedrinov aptly noted, when the soil is hot enough to fry an egg, no bacteria will survive.

Biology is not a product. It is an environment.

First, we create shade and habitat for microorganisms through cover crops. Only then do biological products have a role to play.

This is not marketing. It is about restoring life that years of intensive tillage have gradually destroyed.

In his closing remarks, Leonid Tsentуlo emphasized that we are merely temporary stewards of the land.

Our mission is to pass it on to future generations not as a scorched wasteland, but as a thriving, productive asset.

AgriLab thanks all participants for this open and substantive discussion. We know that half an hour is not enough to do justice to such a deep topic, so we will continue exploring it in the future.