With European Union funding, the project will help sustain agricultural production in Ukraine, after the full-scale invasion of Russia last February forced many rural producers to downsize or from quit their activities, in the context destroy crops and farm equipment, and disrupt supply chains.
About 13 million people living in rural areas rely on Ukraine’s agricultural sector, according to FAO.
“Testimonies of individuals and families I have met during my visits to newly reached areas confirm urgent need for immediate assistance Pierre Vauthier, head of FAO’s country office for Ukraine, said.
Seeds of insecurity
FAO says locals and migrants in western Ukraine are also among those in need of short-term help, amid growing food insecurity and as people run out of savings. thrifty.
The United Nations agency noted that in a recent national review about the impact of war, a quarter of the 5,200 respondents or reduce or stop agricultural production is the direct result of the relentless fighting.
Yuri is a farm worker in Baranove, Odeska oblast. Since the start of the war in February, the entire agricultural sector in Ukraine has been subjected to limited options for exporting products.
FAO explains that as conflict continues, it becomes increasingly difficult for a large number of households, family farms, individual producers and others to continue operating.
“It is important to protect those households from further decline in their productive capacity, which is fundamental to their resilience,” the agency said.
Starting March 2023, grants $1,000-$25,000, will be available to support production in the regions of Lviv, Zakarpatska, Ivano-Frankivska and part of Chernivetska.
Beneficiaries will be required to make respective contributions to receive financial support, covering areas including aquaculture, sheep farming and wine production.
maintain growth
Hanna Antonyuk, Project Manager at FAO Ukraine said: “The project aims to provide timely support to agri-producers and small-scale agribusinesses with emergency access to finance, development advice and support. technical and business development as well as market information”.
“During wartime, the Investment is required to ensure the operation of agricultural producers, to help them adapt to the developing environment and lay the foundations for sustainable growth.”
Major challenges expected over the next few months for crops and livestock include low market prices, lack of fertilizers and pesticides, and lack of fuel or electricity to power equipment. agricultural.
The EU-funded project provided emergency agricultural assistance from March to May last year. More than 6,000 households benefited from agricultural inputs, cash, vegetable seeds and seed potatoes to continue producing food for household consumption, FAO reported.
One of the project’s goals is to help preserve a the only national collection of plant genetic resourceswhich FAO describes as having global significance in terms of the amount and diversity of genetic material.
