The UN and international donors will deliver up to 10,000 grain sleeves to Ukraine
About 60% of temporary harvest storage capacity will be allocated to frontline and the most-affected regions
Ukraine and the UN are strengthening cooperation to support farmers who, because of the war, face a shortage of storage capacity for their harvest and difficulties with financing. This was reported on 27 August by the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food.
The issue of assistance to the agricultural sector and coordination of international support was discussed by the Minister of Agrarian Policy Taras Vysotskyi, the UN Resident Coordinator in Ukraine Matthias Schmale, as well as representatives of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP).
According to Taras Vysotskyi, farmers need help not only with harvest storage but also with working capital.
“The capacity shortfall could reach 11 million tonnes, and covering it would require $44 million. If we do not support the financial sustainability of farmers, there is a risk of reducing sown areas for the next harvest by 5–7 million hectares,” the minister emphasized.
FAO and WFP, together with other international donors, are ready to provide Ukrainian farmers with up to 10,000 grain storage sleeves and modular storage facilities. The first deliveries are expected soon. About 60% of the temporary capacity is planned to be directed to frontline and most-affected regions.
In addition, Ukraine has appealed to the European Union to allocate €220 million to compensate interest on bank loans for farmers.
FAO is developing specific support programs for small and medium-sized farms that find it harder to obtain financing through banks.
“A series of consultations between donors and international partners will take place in the near future to agree on a clear mechanism for collecting and processing applications from Ukrainian farmers, to detail regional needs and to form a concrete package of assistance,” the statement said.
Ukraine and the UN also plan to mobilize additional funds from international financial institutions, including the World Bank, as well as private humanitarian funds.
It was previously reported that small and medium agricultural producers from frontline regions of Ukraine will receive about $10.5 million in international aid for the temporary storage of the harvest collected this year.
