The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has released its emergency response and early recovery plan for Ukraine, outlining priority measures to protect agricultural livelihoods, restore production, and strengthen the broader agrifood sector. The plan integrates immediate emergency assistance with early recovery and resilience-building efforts, aiming to ensure continuity in support for vulnerable rural communities.
The initiative prioritizes the protection of food production for small-scale farmers and rural families, rehabilitation of agricultural land, boosting core production, and promoting market-oriented and climate-resilient farming practices. Shakhnoza Muminova, Head of FAO in Ukraine, emphasized that the plan is designed to bridge the gap between emergency response and recovery, safeguarding livelihoods, restoring safe access to land, and helping farmers rebuild production.
Early recovery focuses on restoring basic livelihoods and essential services while emergency needs persist, enabling communities to move beyond mere survival and reduce long-term dependence on aid. Special attention will be given to frontline regions, women and youth, internally displaced persons, returnees, and land affected by explosive remnants such as landmines. FAO’s current portfolio in Ukraine totals $25.9 million, mostly directed toward emergency and early recovery, but the agency stressed that additional funding is needed to prevent further losses and sustain recovery efforts over time.
Agriculture efforts are unfolding amid ongoing threats to civilian safety. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), a drone strike in the Kherson region recently killed an older civilian and injured two others while they were waiting for food distribution. Matthias Schmale, UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine, condemned the attack as “outrageous.” Humanitarian workers provided first aid, and the injured are receiving hospital care.
