Ukraine: rural communities need immediate support to plant & produce food amid ongoing war | FAO News

Kyiv – With the war ongoing, many Ukrainian farmers & rural farming families face limited access to their land due to mines & lack the financial resources to purchase needed agricultural inputs. The Food & Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) warns that without urgent & sustained support, thousands of rural households may be unable to plant or harvest on time – jeopardizing national food security & rural livelihoods. Urgent support is needed to help them safely access their fields & obtain essential production resources like seeds, fertilizers, storage & energy solutions.

Meeting the needs of Ukraine’s rural communities requires more than emergency assistance – it demands sustained, well-coordinated response to support agrifood systems. The coming months will determine whether rural producers can sustain production through the winter & into the next season.

Across the country, rural households – many of them elderly- or female-headed – continue to depend on agriculture for their survival. They are growing vegetables, tending to a single cow or a handful of chickens, & cultivating small plots of land – often under shelling, without reliable electricity, & with limited access to markets & supplies. What used to be a routine part of their work is now life-threatening in some regions.

“With the war still affecting millions, rural frontline communities remain among the most vulnerable & the least supported. These families want to be able to provide for themselves. They want to stay on their land. & emergency agricultural support is such an effective means of enabling them to do that,” said Rein Paulsen, Director of Emergencies & Resilience at FAO, during his recent visit to Zaporizka oblast, Ukraine.

According to the Fourth Rapid Damage & Needs Assessment, conducted by the Government of Ukraine, the World Bank, the EU & the UN, Ukraine’s agriculture sector has suffered $83.9 billion in damages & losses, with an additional $1.6 billion in the irrigation sector. Rural households & small-scale farmers bear a significant share of this impact & have been forced to adapt – facing land contamination, labour shortages, rising input costs & power outages. Thousands of families still lack basic tools, inputs & services needed to sustain their production & protect their livelihoods.

Since 2022, FAO has already supported over 250 000 rural families with vegetable seeds, animal feed, day-old chicks, cash & vouchers. More than 15 000 farmers received crop seeds, temporary storage solutions & financial assistance. FAO has also worked with partners to survey mined lands, restore access to agricultural fields & support national systems for monitoring & recovery.

Despite the scale of assistance already delivered, much more is needed with many rural families at risk of being left behind. Without sustained support, their ability to plant, harvest & recover remains fragile.

“This work is absolutely indispensable,” Paulsen emphasized. “Agriculture is a fabric of rural society. It’s not just a way to make a living – it’s a way of being. & vulnerable rural families are holding on. They need support not just to survive, but to thrive & rebuild.”

Funding shortfalls continue to limit the full implementation of FAO’s Emergency & Early Recovery Response Plan for 2025–2026. With global funding constraints, FAO calls on donors & partners to redouble their support to Ukraine’s farming families, as their role in national food security, local economies & long-term recovery is indispensable. 

FAO continues to provide targeted assistance & work in close coordination with national authorities & partners to ensure that Ukraine’s agri-food systems & rural livelihoods can recover, adapt & remain resilient even in the most challenging conditions. At the same time, the Organization is stepping up advocacy to ensure that the needs of rural communities remain visible & prioritized on the international agenda.