The 2023 Ukraine Recovery Conference ― FAO delivered its statement on the programme activities in Ukraine
On 22 June, under the 2023 Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC23) in London, aiming to support Ukraine in its recovery and reconstruction efforts, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) participated and raised awareness for the situation in Ukraine and expressed FAO’s readiness to continue providing emergency agricultural support.
In his statement on behalf of FAO, Raimund Jehle, FAO Regional Programme Leader for Europe and Central Asia, emphasized that the war in Ukraine has caused profound damage and loss to its agriculture sector. Ukraine’s millions of rural households and small farmers have suffered from the impact of the war, including contamination of their lands by mines and other unexploded ordnance. Many of these households have struggled to sustain their livelihoods, facing high input and energy prices, lack of access to markets and continuing threats to their physical safety. Food security is now a significant concern for these households, many of which are forced to spend 75 percent or more of their incomes on food purchasing. According to the 2023 grain harvest forecast, it is to be almost 50 percent lower than the 2021 pre-war harvest. The Kakhovka Dam disaster has threatened water availability for the southern region of Ukraine, while forestry and fishery resources have also suffered major losses.
FAO has played a critical role in supporting Ukraine’s national production by providing temporary grain storage sleeves for more than 6 million and inputs and cash to more than 60 000 rural households and 10 000 small farmers. “Looking to the future, FAO will continue with its Response Plan to work with the Government of Ukraine to meet the livelihood needs of rural households and small farmers while supporting the agrifood system to recover rapidly and “build back better,” ensuring that the recovery is sustainable and inclusive,” noted Pierre Vauthier, Head of the FAO Ukraine Country Office. “FAO will support and facilitate investment in value chains, trade and export capacity, logistical networks, green energy, seed security, forestry, fisheries, livestock, and many other critical areas.”
“FAO was partnering with Ukraine long before the war began. We remained in Ukraine from the war’s first days until now. We will continue to support Ukraine by sustaining and expanding our critical emergency assistance to rural households and small farmers while supporting recovery and transition from the earliest possible moments,” concluded Raimund Jehle.
28 June 2023, London, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
