Ukrainian Grain Association opens charity fund to aid farmers in demining fields

The Ukrainian Grain Association has created an international charity fund to help Ukrainian farmers de-mine their fields and be able to sow and grow grain again.

What is the problem?

According to Ukraine's official estimates, 174,000 square kilometers of the Ukrainian territory are potentially contaminated and require examination and humanitarian demining.

Ukrainian farmers, who've already suffered great losses from the Russian occupation of their property and then from the blockade of Ukrainian ports and grain exports, are unable, in most cases, to demine their own fields.

"The loss of agricultural land for growing grain will have colossal consequences for the agricultural sector, the country's economy, and the welfare of farmers," the association highlights. "It will also make a huge impact on the availability of food for tens and hundreds of millions of people in the world who relied on the supply of affordable quality grain from Ukraine." 

What is the solution?

The Ukrainian Grain Association decided to create a fund designed to help the humanitarian demining of agricultural lands because the world needs Ukrainian grain, and Ukrainian farmers want to return to its cultivation as soon as possible, the association said in a statement.

How does it work?

Funds raised through the fund will be directed exclusively to organizations that train sappers and demine or specialized funds that finance demining projects in Ukraine.

Collected money cannot be used for any other purpose than demining. In particular, they cannot be used to purchase weapons.

Background

The World Bank estimates that the full range of humanitarian demining on the territory of Ukraine will cost $37.4 billion.

Rubryka reported that Ukraine plans to demine 80% of potentially contaminated territories within ten years.

Rubryka also reported that Ukraine will receive 24 cranes for demining territories from Japan. Estonia also provided Ukrainian rescuers with a batch of aid for underwater demining.