Start a program to clear land of mines and polluting substances in Ukraine

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Food Program (WFP) launched a joint initiative to support small farmers and rural families most affected by the war.

Designed in collaboration with the Swiss Mine Clearance Foundation, the program has already been launched in the Kharkiv Oblast, and will later be expanded to the Nicolaiev and Kherson Oblasts, focusing on farmers with plots of less than 300 hectares, as well as in rural families that grow food for their own consumption.

The project has the objective of restoring the land and its productive capacity in a safe way, and thus restore agricultural livelihoodscontribute to the economic recovery of Ukraine and gradually eliminate the need for humanitarian aid for thousands of rural families.

Disruption of supply chains

The show’s creators point out that the war has damaged Ukraine’s agriculture and food production, disrupting supply chains and exports, increasing production costs and causing widespread mine contamination.

“Without urgent action, agricultural production in Ukraine will continue to collapse, with direct consequences on food security and dietary diversity in the country, and potential ripple effects in regional and global markets“said the WFP representative in Ukraine.

Restore livelihoods

According to the Rapid Assessment of Damage and Needs, published in February 2023, the Ukrainian production of grains and oilseeds decreased by 37% in 2022. In addition, the FAO reported that almost 90% of the small crop producers surveyed stated that they his income had decreased due to the warand one in four declared having interrupted or significantly reduced their agricultural activity.

“Many families and small farmers in frontline regions are not planting this season because they know that their fields are dangerous or they risk their lives by planting on mined land or contaminated soil,” said the head of the FAO in the country.

Pierre Vauthier added that they hope “that the rehabilitation and soil conservation techniques carried out will support the return of the population to agriculture, and restore livelihoods rural areas while helping to sustain agricultural production.

locate and clean

The organizations in charge of the program, in close coordination with communities, local authorities and the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, will identify and they will first map the lands that require demining using satellite images.

In the second phase, demining teams will inspect and clear the land of mines and other explosive remnants of wargiving priority to parcels that can be liberated quickly with minimal demining work.

In the third phase, soils will be analyzed to assess contamination by the components scattered by the explosion of the weapons. At the same time, the UN agencies will conduct surveys among small farmers and rural families on the types of inputs and resources they need to resume agricultural production, and provide direct aid in kind or in cash when it is possible.

funding is needed

To date, the $100 million project faces a funding gap of $90 million. The agencies estimate potential annual savings of up to $60 million in direct food aid to rural communities. The project is supported by the Ukrainian Humanitarian Fund, a UN common fund, as well as private donors.