Preserving Grain and Preparing for Sowing: Italy to Help Farmers in Odesa Region

The Italian government will allocate €3.5 million to support farmers in Odesa region. The program aims to help farms reduce crop losses and preserve resources for the next planting season.

The support agreement was signed by the Italian government and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in cooperation with Ukraine’s Ministry of Agrarian Policy. The ministry announced the agreement on minagro.gov.ua.

Farmers will be offered the following forms of assistance:

• 250 farmers will receive 800 grain storage bags, with a total capacity of around 200,000 tonnes of grain.
• Another 1,145 small and medium-sized agricultural producers will receive vouchers to purchase seeds, fertilizers, and other agricultural inputs ahead of the spring planting season.

“Italy’s support will help farmers in Odesa region reduce losses, avoid having to sell grain at an unfavorable price, and preserve resources for the next planting season,” said Denys Bashlyk, First Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy.

All assistance will be provided free of charge. It will be distributed as part of a joint initiative involving FAO, the United Nations World Food Programme, and other organizations.

We previously reported:

• Free diesel for planting: Mykolaiv farmers receive fuel cards
• A bumper harvest but no profit: wheat prices in Odesa region have almost halved
• UN and international donors to provide Ukraine with up to 10,000 grain storage bags
• Free modular grain storage facilities from FAO: Mykolaiv farmers can apply
• UN to purchase seeds to support Ukrainian farmers in Mykolaiv and 8 other regions