FAO supported the initiative of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food to build small vegetable storages with capacity from 20 to 1000 tons, first of all – in the frontline areas of Kharkiv and Mykolayiv regions, said the Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Vitaliy Koval.
“Today in Ukraine up to 35% of grown products are lost due to lack of proper storage conditions. We are solving this problem! Together with FAO we launch the construction of modern vegetable storages with capacity from 20 to 1000 tons, first of all – in the frontline territories of Kharkiv and Mykolaiv regions,” he wrote in his Telegram channel.
The Minister explained that each small storage facility gives the opportunity to work about 150 small farmers. Around it, new jobs and cooperations are created. In addition, crop losses are reduced, which is critical for food security.
Kowal added that once the small storage projects are up and running, construction will begin on large multi-section facilities that will be used not only by farmers, but also by businesses, supermarkets and social institutions – hospitals, schools, etc.
“My goal as a minister is for these vegetable storage facilities to become the basis for the development of the cooperative movement among agrarians,” the minister emphasized.
In addition, the ministry team discussed with FAO Regional Program Manager for Europe and Central Asia Raimund Yele and Acting Head of FAO Office in Ukraine Mohammed Azuka a new project to support agrarians in the production of biogas and electricity from agro-biomass.
“The development of bioenergy is not only energy independence, but also an opportunity for additional income for farmers,” summarized the Minister.
construction of vegetable storage facilities, FAO, MINISTRY OF AGRARIAN POLICY
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has supported more than 200,000 rural families and more than 15,000 farmers and agricultural enterprises over the three years of full-scale war, providing seeds, grants, generators, financial assistance and other critical resources to help them maintain production, adapt to new realities and continue to work despite all the challenges, FAO said.
“Ukraine is an agrarian country, but today farmers and rural residents are forced to fight not only for their harvests, but also for their own survival. The war has destroyed infrastructure and complicated access to fertilizers, machinery, and markets. Almost 60% of households say that their main need is to restore their livelihoods,” FAO emphasized on the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
FAO said that in 2025 it intends to support 406,900 people to meet these challenges, including providing seeds to farm families, helping to restore irrigation systems and grain storage facilities, providing livestock with fodder and covering urgent food needs. To implement this support, FAO needs $53 million.
“Ukraine’s agricultural sector is not only a matter of food security within the country, but also a key factor in global stability. But above all, it is people. Rural families who work hard every day to provide themselves with food, take care of their livestock and maintain their farms even in the most difficult conditions. By supporting them, we are not just helping them to restore their livelihoods – we are saving lives and giving them the opportunity to build a future,” FAO summarized and assured that they would continue to work in Ukraine.
In 2025, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) will continue to support Ukrainian farmers in Kherson region by providing them with equipment for loading/unloading grain storage sleeves and coordinating soil testing, said Vitaliy Koval, Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food.
“In 2025, FAO is focusing on the transformation of the agricultural sector and its urgent needs. Therefore, we agreed to transfer equipment for loading/unloading sleeves for farmers in the Kherson region. He also emphasized the importance of further support for farmers in the frontline areas. In addition, we will coordinate soil analysis after demining together. We need to ensure that such land is safe and can be used for sowing. Food security directly depends on this,” the press service of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food quoted him as saying at a meeting with the acting head of the FAO Office in Ukraine, Mohammed Azuka.
The minister noted that another area of cooperation with FAO would be the State Agrarian Register.
Vitalii Koval and Mohammed Azuka signed a project document entitled “Saving livelihoods by supporting small wine producers through the Food Coalition”. The project aims to create a favorable environment for small wine producers in Odesa and Zakarpattia regions. It is about providing them with technical support, access to finance to recover from the effects of the war and the decline in vineyard productivity, and to increase production.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has announced a project strategy to support small farmers in a number of frontline regions and will provide them with $1,000 vouchers to purchase grain seeds for the upcoming spring and autumn sowing campaigns, the FAO press service reports.
“FAO is committed to empowering farmers to rebuild and sustain their livelihoods by providing access to quality agricultural inputs, strengthening local economies and promoting the long-term resilience of war-affected communities,” the statement said.
The initiative is funded by the governments of Germany and France. It is expected to be an important step in restoring agricultural production and strengthening the food security of communities affected by the ongoing war.
The program will be open to 550 small and medium-sized farmers who cultivate land plots ranging from 10 to 300 hectares in Chernihiv, Donetsk, Kherson, Odesa and Zaporizhzhia regions. Priority will be given to farms run by women and those operating near the frontline, where farming conditions remain difficult.
Farmers interested in participating can apply for assistance through the State Agrarian Register (SAR) until January 26, 2025. After the applications are processed, selected participants will receive confirmation through the SAR, as well as detailed information on how to receive and use the vouchers.
FAO noted that applying does not guarantee assistance, as eligibility will be determined based on specific program criteria.
The Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food, with the support of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), intends to develop agrarian diplomacy, said Vitaliy Koval, Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, after a meeting with Viorel Gutsu, head of the FAO Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia.
“The goal of agrarian diplomacy is to train specialists to promote Ukrainian agricultural products on international markets on the basis of specialized higher education institutions. We are talking about the so-called agrarian attaches at diplomatic and trade missions abroad,” the press service of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy quoted Vitaliy Koval as saying.
The Ukrainian minister added that the FAO team had confirmed its interest in implementing such a project.
The ministers also discussed the possibility of allocating grants for Ukrainian farmers to automate production processes and increase the volume of value-added products, providing livestock farmers with generators, switching to gas generators, attracting international experts to adapt the Ukrainian agricultural sector to European requirements, and climate programs for Ukraine.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), together with the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, with financial support from the German government, will distribute 17 generators with a capacity of 27 to 88 kW to food producers and processors, the FAO press service reports.
“It is necessary that enterprises can continue production and provide the population with fresh food even during power outages,” the statement said.
According to the report, by the end of 2024, an additional 131 generators will be distributed to enterprises located in close proximity to the front line to increase the self-sufficiency and sustainability of national producers.
As reported, under this initiative, FAO has already handed over 97 generators to small and medium-sized enterprises from Sumy, Chernihiv, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv, Odesa and Kherson regions.
