eEntering 2025, one of the largest questions facing the West is how much more aid is going to be sent to Ukraine, as while the U.K. and other European states have remained steadfast in their support for Kiev, America’s change in administration has presented fresh uncertainty regarding Ukraine’s future support. For nearly three years now, Ukraine has relied on Western aid as a lifeblood in its defense against Russia’s invasion. However, President-elect Trump has made no hard promises to continue this policy. Ukraine is at risk of losing its largest financial and military donor at a crucial stage in this conflict.

For Ukrainians directly impacted by this war, the situation looks increasingly bleak as almost 4 million internally displaced refugees are still in need of humanitarian assistance since this conflict destroyed their homes and livelihoods. However, thanks to the World Food Programme (WFP), a sustainable method of delivering aid has helped streamline deliverance of humanitarian aid. This streamlining has helped maintain food systems in Ukraine and protect the increasing amount of refugees from food insecurity.

Ukraine: An Agricultural Superpower

Often referred to as “the Breadbasket of Europe,” Ukraine has a rich history as an agricultural superpower. Its fertile soil and flat ground create some of the best land on earth for farming, and have allowed Ukraine to become one of the largest exporters of grain in the world, making Ukrainian culture synonymous with the agricultural industry. But when Russia invaded in 2022, there were interruptions in exports of grain. The country’s major outlets in the Black Sea were either captured by the Russian army or blockaded by its navy. The actions significantly disrupted the food systems in Ukraine.

According to the Centre For Strategic & International Studies, 90% of Ukraine’s 60 million metric tons in food exports came from Black sea ports before the war, hence why the Russians were so quick to extinguish this economic asset. This not only had a catastrophic effect on global food prices, which rose by 13% at the war’s outset, but threatens the livelihood of thousands of farmers who have depended on Ukraine’s exports of grain for generations.

While there was some hope in 2023 when Russia, Ukraine and Turkey agreed on a shipping corridor under the Black Sea Grain Initiative, allowing exports to return close to their pre-war numbers, this agreement has since been violated by the Russian Navy, as the Kremlin continues to squeeze Ukraine’s ability to economically fund its defense. So, while Ukraine has sought to export its produce through other means, such as through overland borders via solidarity trade routes that the EU has drawn out, Ukrainian rural communities have perhaps had the largest indirect impact since the start of the war. 

WFP’s Work to Address Food Systems in Ukraine

Traditionally, the humanitarian aid that the WFP has given out has come from a range of sources, such as the international market and regional assets. But since the start of the war, the WFP has adjusted its tactics so that 82% of the resources going to Ukraine are sourced locally. Not only has this ensured that the millions of internally displaced refugees are not food insecure, but it has meant that rural communities get an injection of $1.3 billion into the economy. Additionally, these communities are able to survive the economic hardships attached to a Russian trade embargo. This ensures the future of the Ukrainian rural economy not only survives but can also recover quickly after the conflict ends.

By sourcing products locally, it reduces the need to transport large amounts of aid from other major exporting nations such as the U.S. or China. Not only does this cut down on costs that can be reinvested into further aid, but it also cuts down on the country’s carbon footprint, as trucks and trains can be used instead of large cargo planes that emit thousands of metric tons of carbon over multiple flights. The food undergoes distribution through the Ukrainian Government, either through the Ministry of Education and providing free school meals that help protect Ukraine’s future generations, or by helping coordinate emergency telecommunication services for quick action response.

Other Initiatives

The WFP is further helping rural communities by removing mines in the Kharkiv region, an area that the conflict has disproportionately affected. By engaging with rural communities, the WFP has been able to both clear mines, and teach proper mine clearance techniques that can be distributed to the rural community, ensuring the risk to food systems in Ukraine is reduced and Ukrainian farmers have protection from collateral damage. As well as sourcing locally, the WFP can create a sustainable economy, as well as a more sustainable environment.

Replicating WFP’s Work in Other Countries

This model of sourcing aid locally is not always easy to replicate in other areas of food deprivation. Ukraine is a uniquely fertile country. As a net exporter, the country is less reliant on foreign imports for food security than other nations with lower agricultural output. A country such as Sudan, which is currently in the midst of a full scale civil war, has had a history of food insecurity before the conflict began, so it’s unrealistic that more than 80% of aid can be sourced from local producers.

Equally, the WFP has limited access to certain areas in need of humanitarian aid, so purchasing locally becomes near impossible. Afghanistan, for example, has an estimated 14.8 million people living without food security, yet the WFP is powerless to help due to the isolationist policies the Taliban government is currently undergoing. However, the WFP has proven that streamlining the deliverance of aid with local produce can create sustainable benefits that can establish long term growth for local food systems. 

Looking Ahead

With local producers sourcing just above 40% of global aid, there is definitely room for improvement as the multiple benefits speak for itself. The same model currently being used in Ukraine can be replicated in other states struggling with significant numbers of refugees. Economic investment and food security are crucial to ensuring a nation can recover sustainably after a conflict. In an interview, one Ukrainian farmer said that “food security means national security,“ the WFP understands this, and by continuing to locally source its humanitarian aid, growth in the economy and national security can be accelerated and sustainably achieved in other nations facing conflict and abject poverty.

– Caspian Davies

Caspian is based in London, UK  and focuses on Business and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr