Despite shelling and mining: Kherson region's farming year results and solutions for food security

What is the problem?

On June 6, a terrorist attack by Russians caused the largest man-made disaster of the 21st century [the Russian forces destroyed the Kakhovka Dam – ed.]. As a result, the farmers in the Kherson region faced even more dire conditions. According to the Ministry of Agrarian Policy, 25,000 hectares of fields were flooded, and 100,000 tons of crops were lost in the Kherson region alone. In total, the right bank of the Kherson region has 520,000 hectares of agricultural land, but as of October 2, only 89,000 hectares had been officially cleared of mines. As a result, it will be impossible for the farmers in the Kherson region to expand their operations. 

Despite their destroyed equipment, mined fields, and constant shelling, the agrarians had to continue working. To make matters worse, their agricultural fields were also flooded, and their crops were lost. This left them with nothing but bank debts, which they had to sell their destroyed crops to repay.

The lost harvest of the Kherson region. Photo: Ukraine's parliament

This year, the market has already managed to reorient itself in a certain way. So, according to the Department of Agrarian Policy, Food and Land Relations of the Odesa Regional Military Administration, the supply of vegetables and watermelons in Ukraine this year came from the Odesa region. Farmers in the region expressed interest in changing their crop structure to avoid shortages, which is why Ukrainians were able to enjoy watermelons this August.

However, the situation with watermelons in the Kherson Region is far from desirable. According to Oleksandr Prokudin, who leads the Kherson Regional Military Administration, only 590 tons of melons were harvested, alongside 58.5 thousand tons of grain, 4.4 thousand tons of rapeseed, 16.3 thousand tons of potatoes, and approximately 30 thousand tons of vegetables, primarily tomatoes, and onions.

Compared to pre-war 2021, these numbers appear meager. Two years ago, the rapeseed yield was 239.4 thousand tons, but now it's only 4.4 thousand tons. However, the grain harvest 2021 reached a whopping 4 million tons, far surpassing this year's 58.5 thousand.

"Nowadays, it's challenging to make a definite statement due to the presence of landmines in certain areas, and our territory has decreased by threefold due to the temporary occupation of a portion of the region. Before the war, the Kherson region used to produce millions of tons of resources, but now we're only collecting thousands… It's nowhere near the amount we were accustomed to," the regional military administration leader added.

What is the solution?

Although the occupiers made many attempts to disrupt the sowing and reaping, the farmers of the Kherson region still managed to harvest.

According to the press service of the Kherson Regional Military Administration, despite facing challenges such as mined fields, stolen and destroyed equipment, shortage of personnel, and funds for essential farming supplies, the farmers of Kherson are achieving incredible results. They are reporting thousands of tons of crops, which is a significant improvement compared to last year's complete lack of production due to the full-scale war. It can definitely be considered a substantial achievement.

The process of demining the fields. Approximately 100,000 hectares have already been cleared in the Kherson region, accounting for only 15% of the total area. The photo is for illustrative purposes. Source: vikna.tv

As time goes on, the situation is expected to get better. One issue that significantly affects farmers and land use – landmine contamination – is slowly being resolved. During a recent press conference, Oleksandr Prokudin, the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration leader, announced that approximately 100,000 hectares have been cleared of mines in the region's recently liberated territories, making up 15% of the total area. Additionally, 85,000 hectares have been declared safe for agricultural work.

The journalists from "Suspilne" media did an interesting experiment by going to the market in Kherson to determine product prices and interview buyers and sellers.

In short, the production and demand are both limited. In the past, the Kherson region met the local demand for vegetables, meat, and dairy products. However, now vegetables are imported from other regions, which is reflected in their prices. These prices could potentially be higher, but the exodus of people from the Kherson region due to the ongoing war has resulted in a low market demand and, consequently, lower prices.

Kherson. A saleswoman prepares vegetables for sale at the market on February 9, 2023. Photo: Suspilne Kherson 

Economist Volodymyr Molchanov says that the inflated prices on Kherson markets are justified. Several economic factors play a role in their creation, including distribution, sales conditions, and low product demand. 

"Prices are rising, and you can do nothing about it. They're determined by market mechanisms, specifically supply and demand. If there were more people, prices would be even higher. Unfortunately, there's a shortage of people. Additionally, there's a specific group of goods that are not profitable to transport in small quantities due to transportation costs," Volodymyr Molchanov explains.

After enduring more than a year and a half of relentless warfare, Ukrainian agricultural producers are at a breaking point both mentally and financially. Support is urgently needed to allow farms to stay afloat.

This is supported by the data from the "Courage to be a Farmer" survey, which was carried out with the assistance of the USAID Program for Agrarian and Rural Development (AGRO).

One of the factors that will encourage agricultural producers to keep working in the future is the more practical considerations that respondents tend to consider.

Most respondents, 68.2%, anticipate receiving free materials and technical assistance, specifically in acquiring seeds. 67.5% look forward to increased avenues for securing financial backing. Additionally, 38.3% stress the importance of regularly informing farmers about available support programs. Access to agricultural technology, legal and accounting aid, and the triumphs of peers are also mentioned as encouraging factors.

Farmers in the Kherson region have received 10 tons of high-quality wheat for the upcoming 2024 sowing season. Photo: Kherson Regional Military Administration 

However, it is essential to be aware of the various state, international, donor, and grant support programs available to receive assistance. According to studies, only 23.5% of agricultural producers feel well-informed about these opportunities. Nearly half admit to being uninformed or having only some knowledge of these initiatives. Here are a few resources that farmers can utilize to obtain additional financial support:

• The Agricultural Partial Credit Guarantee Fund which will soon begin offering partial guarantees on loans to farmers who have landholdings of up to 500 hectares.

• The GRANTY portal can also be used to find more funding opportunities for farmers.

• The Agrarian and Rural Development Program, sponsored by USAID, offers regular support to farmers through either competitive selection or upon request. You can reach out to the program representatives through the provided link.

According to the press service of the Kherson Regional Military Administration, the farmers there have already received 10 tons of premium wheat for sowing in 2024, as of October.

As previously mentioned, the Kherson Regional Military Administration worked with the Lidea company to support farmers affected by the hostilities through the "Together to the Seed" program. As a result, the farmers of the Kherson region received seed material for the 2024 harvest this week.

"10 households of the Kherson region will be able to sow 50 hectares of demined fields, and already next season collect 250 tons of their winter wheat seeds for sowing," the message reads.

And this could be just the beginning.

Farmers in the Kherson region have received 10 tons of high-quality wheat for the upcoming 2024 sowing season. Photo: Kherson Regional Military Administration