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The Mine Action and Land Rehabilitation Initiative of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) in Ukraine’s programme coordinator, Tiphaine Lucas, is checking impact by remnants of war and exploded ordnances as they collect soil samples from Lands impacted.
The risks on the job are heightened by the fact that some areas are located as close as 20 kilometres from the current frontline.
Lucas said ordnances explodes as they work, which is one of the high risks he faces as an agronomist and mine action worker.
The FAO is ensuring that contaminated farmland can be safely restored for cultivation.
Arrived in Ukraine in mid-2023 as FAO officer, Lucas said she is driven by her aspiration to contribute to the recovery of Ukraine as an agricultural powerhouse.
She added that assessing the potential contamination of heavily bombarded agricultural lands in Ukraine is central to helping farmers resume production and restore rural livelihoods. She explained FAO plays a central role in supporting farmers due to its unique technical know-how in agriculture.
The FAO Programme Coordinator on Mine Action and Land Rehabilitation in Ukraine also said Ukrainian government is currently facing numerous challenges hence the technical assistance.
Despite the challenges of the ongoing war, Ukraine has harvested 72.9 million tonnes of grain and oilseeds and exported 17.5 million tonnes of cereals, legumes, and flour in the current marketing year (2023-2024), surpassing last year’s figures but not yet reaching pre-war levels.
Following the escalation of the war in 2022, FAO mounted a comprehensive response to support Ukraine’s agriculture and food production, providing technical assistance to help farmers and producers in one of the world’s top exporters of staple grains to secure harvests, maintain healthy livestock, and strengthen supply chains. Since then, some 250,000 rural families and 15 000 farmers have received support from FAO.
The Organisation also plays a central role in ensuring food safety by conducting a soil health assessment on lands potentially contaminated. This process is a crucial step in determining the potential chemical damage to the land and how this pollution can affect some crops, explained Lucas.
The war in Ukraine has damaged the country’s agriculture and food production. Prior to the war, Ukraine exported 6 million tonnes of grains per month. The country’s agricultural sector produced sufficient grain and other food products to feed 400 million people globally.
