Institutional role of agricultural cooperatives in strengthening food security in the conditions of the war

The article examines the mechanism for optimizing agricultural cooperatives as an institutional tool for supporting small-scale farmers, promoting the development of small businesses, and strengthening food security. The necessity of providing small and medium-sized agricultural producers with expanded access to market infrastructure, information on export opportunities, financial instruments (including grants and investments), modern technologies, educational programs, and logistics services is substantiated to enhance their competitiveness and integration into a sustainable agri-food chain. The primary objective of this study is to enhance the theoretical and methodological approaches to examining cooperatives within the food security system and to analyze the impact of agricultural cooperatives on strengthening the position of the active rural population and global food security. Regional policy and rural development strategy should focus on strengthening and genuinely supporting existing agricultural cooperatives while also encouraging the creation of new ones. The implementation of the model yields increased productivity, resource optimization, reduced environmental impact, higher farmer incomes, and fosters socio-economic stability in regions, ultimately contributing to global food security. The article substantiates the need to generate economic, social, and environmental benefits, which will ensure the adaptability of the agricultural sector to crisis phenomena, support regional food sovereignty, and contribute to the socio-economic stabilization of rural areas. Examples of global open innovations in agricultural cooperatives and the achievements of national cooperative structures were studied, and relevant proposals for agribusiness enterprises in the Black Sea region were formulated. It is proven that the application of a cooperative approach as a component of regional investment policy not only reduces transaction costs in an unstable environment but also balances the ecosystems of agricultural production through more efficient resource use and increased socio-economic cohesion. Keywords: regional development, cooperation, efficiency, agricultural cooperatives, food security, food balance, rural development, regional ecosystem balancing model.