Ukraine’s Harvest Is Threatened as Russia’s War Disrupts Farming
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The war in Ukraine is not only a humanitarian and geopolitical crisis, but also a growing threat to global food security. Ukraine is a major exporter of grains and vegetable oils, and the fighting is severely disrupting planting, harvesting, and export operations.
farmers are facing a multitude of challenges. Fields are littered with landmines and unexploded ordnance, making them dangerous to cultivate. Fuel, fertilizer, and pesticides are in short supply and have skyrocketed in price. Many farm workers have joined the military, leaving fields understaffed. And, of course, the constant threat of Russian attacks looms large.
“It’s a really scary situation,” says Serhiy feofilov, a farmer in the Chernihiv region, north of Kyiv. “We don’t know what will happen tomorrow. Will we be able to harvest? Will we be able to sell our crops?”
The disruption to Ukraine’s harvest has already begun to impact global food prices. Wheat prices, for example, have surged to record highs, raising concerns about food affordability, notably in developing countries that rely heavily on Ukrainian grain.
The United Nations and other international organizations are working to facilitate the export of Ukrainian grain, but progress has been slow.Russia’s blockade of Ukrainian ports is a major obstacle, preventing millions of tons of grain from reaching global markets.
Even if the blockade is lifted, significant challenges remain. Ukraine’s transportation infrastructure has been damaged by the fighting, and there is a shortage of storage capacity.
The situation is particularly dire for the upcoming winter wheat harvest. Farmers are struggling to plant winter wheat, which is typically sown in the fall for harvest the following summer. If they are unable to plant now,it could lead to even more severe food shortages next year.
“This is not just a Ukrainian problem,” says David Laborde Debuch, a senior research fellow at the International Food Policy Research Institute. “This is a global problem. And it’s going to take a concerted effort from the international community to address it.”
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