FAO Allocates $150 Million to Support Ukrainian Farmers

This was announced during the Fourth Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC-2025), held on July 10–11, 2025, in Rome.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is directing its efforts toward a $150 million fund to support small and medium-sized Ukrainian farmers, with a significant portion allocated to humanitarian demining of agricultural land.

As part of the conference, Serhii Nerpii, Head of the International Cooperation Department at UDS, held an introductory meeting at FAO headquarters and later joined Panel 4.5, dedicated to the topic:"The Dimension of EU Reforms: Enhancing Global Food Security and Food Supply Chains."

Opening remarks were delivered by:

1. Francesco Lollobrigida, Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry of Italy;
2. Vitalii Koval, Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine.

In his address, Minister Koval emphasized the urgent need for decisive action to protect Ukrainian farmers, especially those operating in frontline regions, where agricultural workers face daily threats from landmines.

Other speakers included:

1. Christophe Hansen, European Commissioner for Agriculture and Food (online);
2. Álvaro Lario, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD);
3. Maurizio Martina, Deputy Director-General of FAO, who highlighted the importance of continuing demining programs.

The humanitarian organization Mercy Corps, speaking at URC-2025, stressed that without large-scale investment in humanitarian demining, Ukraine’s recovery would stall and the productivity of its agricultural sector would remain limited.

💬 "There must be effective coordination and joint efforts to clear agricultural land of the remnants of war and help farmers restore production. This is key to ensuring global food security," noted Serhii Nerpii, Head of the International Cooperation Department at UDS.

It is worth noting that UDS is already conducting humanitarian demining in Kyiv, Mykolaiv, and Kharkiv regions, focusing on supporting farmers with land plots ready for cultivation.

The UDS agricultural demining program is designed to safely return agricultural land to productive use by clearing it of mines and other explosive remnants of war. Its overarching goal is to support Ukraine’s economic recovery.

Additionally, FAO and the World Food Programme (WFP), in cooperation with their humanitarian mine action partner Fondation Suisse de Déminage (FSD), have launched a joint program to support smallholder farmers and rural families most affected by the war.