The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has distributed seed potato kits to farmers in Ukraine so they can plant food in time for the next harvesting season.
This, the FAO did to safeguard the food security status and livelihoods of vulnerable rural families in Ukraine.
“It’s crucial right now to help farmers. The big and small ones, and those families involved in backyard farming,” said Pierre Vauthier, FAO Ukraine Designated Responsible Officer.
“Agriculture is one of Ukraine’s major sectors and is important for the country’s food security. It is also a key source of income for the 12.6 million people who live in rural areas, who make up almost a third of the country’s population. An organization like FAO must help people.
“Today, it especially helps those engaged in production because one of the FAO’s tasks is to ensure local food production. In total, 862 tonnes of seed potatoes have been delivered to those in need over the last weeks. Distribution was achieved in time for the spring potato sowing campaign to ensure that this nutritious food source can be harvested in September 2022.”
Pierre Vauthier
“In the coming weeks, FAO will reach 3 700 households (9 600 people) with multi-purpose cash transfers and over 14 600 rural families (38 000 people) with vegetable production kits to resume food production for consumption and sale,” Pierre Vauthier added.
“We are also planning to distribute poultry and support vulnerable livestock keepers by providing animal feed and vitamin-mineral supplements. With more resources, we will be able to reach more people in vulnerable rural areas of Ukraine.”
Pierre Vauthier
FAO’s work in Ukraine
FAO has been operating in Ukraine since 2003. Following the start of the war, the Organization has developed and updated its Rapid Response Plan (RRP) to provide agricultural assistance and ensure food security to those most affected by the conflict.
FAO’s response includes providing crop and livestock inputs and cash to support the most affected smallholder farmers and livestock holders to meet seasonal deadlines. This support will enable households to produce vegetables, cereal crops, milk, meat, and eggs to feed themselves.
Pierre noted that further contributions are urgently needed to reach more people to maintain the spring cropping season and support the harvest preparation.
To support more vulnerable people globally, FAO has called for $115.4 million in funding to support 979 320 small farmers and medium-sized producers through to December 2022 to boost food availability and access. To date, FAO has raised $11 million.
FAO has also proposed a global Food Import Financing Facility to help nations deal with rising food prices. The mechanism, which is strictly based on needs and limited to low and lower-middle-income, net food-importing countries and selected beneficiaries of the International Development Association, could benefit almost 1.8 billion people in the world’s 61 most vulnerable countries.
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