1978-1983 – studied at the Faculty of Economics of the Crimean Agricultural Institute. After graduation, worked as an economist, and from 1986 – as a chief economist at agricultural enterprises in the Crimean region.

Since 1987, his professional and academic career has been associated with the National Scientific Centre “Institute of Agrarian Economics”. He progressed through the positions of postgraduate researcher (1987–1990), senior research fellow (from 1990), leading research fellow (from 2001), and Deputy Director for Research (from 2012).

From 1999 to 2016, he also worked part-time as a professor at the Department of International Economics of Kyiv National University of Trade and Economics (prior to its merger – at the Ukrainian State University of Finance and International Trade).

From 1998 to 2002, he worked as a senior analyst in the Economic Policy Analysis Unit of the Agricultural Policy Project in Ukraine at Iowa State University (USA). From 2002 to 2006, he served as Head of the Strategic Direction of the UNDP project “Agricultural Policy for Human Development”. From 2006 to 2011, he was Head of the Expert Group at the UNDP Blue Ribbon Analytical and Advisory Centre.

He has led and directly contributed to six international research projects conducted in Ukraine by the World Bank, the EU, FAO, OECD, and UNDP, and was responsible for the preparation and organisation of the 102nd Seminar of the European Association of Agricultural Economists, serving as an official member of the organising committee from Ukraine.

He defended his PhD thesis titled “Fixed Assets of Motor Transport in Agriculture and Ways to Improve Their Efficiency” in 1990, and his doctoral dissertation titled “Economic Relations and Efficiency of Transport Services for Production Units in Agriculture” in 1998 at the Institute of Agrarian Economics.

In 1993, M. Puhachov was awarded the academic title of Senior Research Fellow; in 2003 – Associate Professor of the Department of International Economics; and in 2008 – Professor.

By Decree of the President of Ukraine, M. Puhachov was awarded the honorary title “Honoured Worker of Science and Technology of Ukraine” (2014).

He is the author of more than 300 academic publications, including 20 monographs and a series of textbooks on economics. Under his supervision, 3 doctoral and 6 PhD theses have been successfully defended.

He serves as Deputy Chair of the specialised academic council for the defence of doctoral dissertations at the National Scientific Centre “Institute of Agrarian Economics” and is also a member of the specialised academic council for doctoral dissertation defence at the National University of Food Technologies.

On a voluntary basis, he is Deputy Chair of the Presidium of the public organisation “All-Ukrainian Congress of Agricultural Economists” and previously represented it on the Public

Council under the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, where he chaired the Committee on Rural Development and Land Relations.