Millions of Ukrainians are facing food insecurity due to Russia’s invasion. Since 2022, World Food Program (WFP) has invested more than $700 million into the economy of Ukraine to combat hunger. Furthermore, it has provided food to more than 3 million people along the frontlines.

Hunger Crisis

Present-day food insecurity in Ukraine began with Russia’s occupation and annexation of Crimea in 2014. The crisis intensified significantly following Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, leading to severe disruptions and damage to Ukraine’s agrifood systems. As a result, approximately one in three Ukrainians—about 11 million people—are now food insecure.

The destruction of livelihoods and increased inflation due to war have further impeded access to nourishment for millions of Ukrainians. Additionally, as a major global grain producer, Ukraine plays a critical role in supplying more than half of its exports to low-income countries. The ongoing conflict has severely disrupted this supply chain, worsening global food security, amplifying pre-existing food insecurity and driving up food prices.

Foreign Aid to Ukraine by World Food Program

While there is a high density of food insecurity in Kyiv, the greatest proportion of people experiencing Ukraine’s hunger crisis are located close to the war’s frontlines to the north and east of Ukraine. Here, one in four households was discovered to experience severe food shortages. As of March 2022, WFP has provided aid in the form of food and cash, equal to 2.5 billion meals, to tackle hunger in Ukraine.

WFP currently provides food assistance to three million internally displaced and affected individuals in Ukraine on a monthly basis, dispensing food throughout frontline regions. Most of the food is locally sourced and distributed in collaboration with local responders. For example, the nonprofit empowers local female-led bakeries in Mykolaiv to produce bread that is later distributed to thousands of households residing on the frontlines.

WFP also extended its school lunch scheme. The scheme has provided around 100,000 children in more than 700 schools in Ukraine with food. Additionally, WFP schemes work with local organizations and farmers to aid future crop cultivation. This is being achieved by removing landmines and explosive residues from farmlands. Approximately 25,000 square kilometers of arable land may contain landmines and other hazardous debris from the ongoing war, which have already injured and claimed hundreds of lives.

These WFP initiatives aim to rehabilitate mined land into productive farmland, restore agricultural livelihoods and reduce hunger in Ukraine. However, for now, many Ukrainians have to rely on WFP food boxes until local farmers and agrifood systems recover.

Future Outlooks

The Ukraine Third Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDNA3) conducted by the World Bank estimated that it would cost $56 billion to recover and reconstruct Ukraine’s agricultural sector. Humanitarian aid, therefore, will be crucial in preventing a more severe and extensive humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.

– Viola Cuthbertson

Viola is based in London, UK and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr