The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the Qatar Fund for Development have launched a USD 10 million programme to support rural communities in Ukraine whose farmland has been compromised by landmines and explosive remnants of war. The initiative seeks to restore safe access to agricultural land, revive local livelihoods and strengthen the resilience of farming communities in some of the most heavily affected regions in the south and east of the country. It also aims to establish a scalable recovery model that can be applied in other crisis-impacted areas worldwide.
Implemented jointly by FAO and the World Food Programme, the programme links mine action with agricultural recovery to create a comprehensive pathway from land clearance to renewed food production. FAO will focus on analyzing needs, rehabilitating land and restoring agricultural activities, while WFP will carry out surveying and clearance operations. Together, the agencies are working to ensure that farmers can safely return to their fields and begin rebuilding their livelihoods.
FAO emphasized that safe access to land is essential for rural families striving to recover from the impacts of war, highlighting the importance of combining agricultural expertise with mine action. QFFD echoed this sentiment, noting that the programme reflects a shared commitment to helping farming communities regain their economic footing and contribute to national food security. Both organizations stressed that clearing and rehabilitating farmland is a crucial step toward long-term resilience and regional stability.
Ukraine remains one of the world’s most mine-affected countries, with an estimated 138,500 square kilometres contaminated—an area comparable to the size of Greece. This widespread contamination continues to limit access to farmland, disrupt food production and slow the recovery of rural economies, underscoring the need for sustained international support to restore safe cultivation and strengthen agricultural resilience.
The programme will identify priority agricultural areas, conduct detailed soil assessments and equip farmers to resume cultivation safely. Using satellite imagery, geospatial analysis and soil testing, experts will map contamination, evaluate risks and determine rehabilitation needs. The initiative also invests in national capacity by training young scientists, supporting local institutions and promoting good agricultural practices that will enhance long-term soil health and agricultural recovery.
In addition to technical interventions, the programme will offer livelihood support through vouchers for agricultural inputs, equipment and construction materials. This assistance will help more than 3,500 rural families and 100 small farmers restart production once their land is deemed safe. As the programme scales up, it is expected to strengthen food security, boost income generation and accelerate the recovery of communities whose farmland remains hazardous or inaccessible.
This effort expands on FAO’s wider support for Ukraine’s agricultural sector since 2022, spanning emergency assistance, mine action coordination, land rehabilitation and restoration of critical rural infrastructure. By addressing both the immediate humanitarian consequences and longer-term economic challenges of mine contamination, the new partnership lays a stronger foundation for recovery and sustainable development in affected regions.
