The Russian Federation's full-scale military invasion of Ukraine's sovereign territory is not only bringing death to Ukrainians. By fighting and disrupting traditional supply chains, the Russians have pushed at least 70 million people around the world to the brink of starvation. A total of 345 million people suffer from catastrophic food shortages. Eighty-two countries are in need of food aid (according to the UN). The demand for agricultural products in the world is growing by 2-3% annually, and the shortage of grain in the markets of Africa and Asia could reach 10-15% as early as 2024. The global food market needs more flexibility, which means that it will be impossible to replace Ukrainian products through diversification from other countries in the next 4-5 years.
«Grain from Ukraine» is a humanitarian food programme launched by President of Ukraine Volodymyr on 26 November 2022 and presented during the first inaugural International Food Security Summit in Kyiv. As a result of the Summit, the Grain from Ukraine programme has accumulated support in the amount of about USD 220 million. The amount of the contribution and the number of donor countries are not final. It is planned to increase the contributions of individual countries, as well as to attract new countries and enterprises to participate in the initiative. In cooperation with the UN World Food Programme, Ukraine and the programme's partner countries identify recipient countries for Ukrainian grain from among those countries facing acute food shortages. More than 30 countries and international organisations have joined the Grain from Ukraine programme.
Programme objective
Under the programme, Ukraine, partner countries and private sector donors will supply Ukrainian grain to countries in Africa and Asia facing malnutrition and hunger. The programme will help overcome the humanitarian and economic consequences of the global food crisis caused by Russia's aggressive war against Ukraine. Since the beginning of the initiative, Ukraine, with the participation of WFP, has sent more than 170,000 tonnes of wheat to countries with the most difficult food situation, including Ethiopia, Somalia, Yemen, Nigeria, Sudan and Kenya. The programme is planned to be expanded to Mozambique/Malawi, Madagascar, Djibouti, Liberia, Mauritania, Lebanon and other countries. Under the programme, it is planned to send about 60 ships with grain to the poorest countries in Africa. The aim is to purchase agricultural products directly from Ukrainian producers and transfer them to countries on the verge of famine.
Why did Ukraine launch this programme?
Ukraine's agricultural exports are vital for many countries on the African continent. Ukraine has been and remains the world's largest exporter of sunflower oil, and Ukrainian grains account for a significant share of global markets. Prior to the outbreak of the full-scale war, Ukraine accounted for over 15% of global corn exports, 10% of wheat, 15-20% of barley and over 50% of sunflower oil. Despite the serious consequences of Russia's full-scale unprovoked aggression and the terror it has brought to Ukraine's agricultural sector and global food security, Ukraine remains committed to maintaining its key role as a guarantor of food security. Therefore, last summer, Ukraine launched the Black Sea Grain Initiative thanks to the efforts of the UN Secretary-General and the President of the Republic of Turkey. Russia uses the grain corridor as a political lever and has threatened to withdraw from the initiative several times. Therefore, Ukraine decided to take the next step to improve the food security situation in the world and launched the Grain from Ukraine programme, which provided grain to African countries with Ukrainian and donor funds. Food security is also one of the ten elements of the Ukrainian Formula for Peace presented by President Zelenskyy at the G20 summit this month. Russia's war has hit hard not only Ukraine, but also countries in Europe, Africa, Asia and other regions. That is why the Grain from Ukraine programme is so important. It will help alleviate the acute problem of food shortages for millions of people around the world.
The issue of ending hunger is of particular importance to the Ukrainian nation, which has experienced genocide by starvation. This genocide, called the Holodomor, was perpetrated by Stalin 90 years ago, and every year Ukrainians commemorate its anniversary and honor the memory of its 4.5 million victims. So Russia has already used famine as a weapon, and now it wants to repeat this tragedy on a global scale. Ukraine will not allow anyone in the world to use hunger as a weapon again in the 21st century. No nation and no individual deserves to suffer from malnutrition or have limited access to food just because Russia has decided to score political points or launch an aggressive war against one of the world's largest food producers, Ukraine.
How does it work?
The programme is based on direct purchases of agricultural products from Ukrainian producers by the countries participating in the project and their transfer to countries on the verge of famine. Ukraine is inviting partners to join the programme and allocate funds for the purchase of ships carrying Ukrainian grain, which is then delivered free of charge to the most vulnerable. Ukraine itself also donates money from our war-torn budget. This is a major difference from the Black Sea Grain Initiative, where recipient countries had to provide cash to charter ships and buy grain from Ukrainian farmers. Ukraine helps and advises on opportunities to purchase grain on the Ukrainian market. Priority is given to small and medium-sized agricultural companies. Ukraine will assist in organising logistics (both domestic and export). The partners undertake to organise delivery to the final destination of the aid, pay for the cost of the grain, and coordinate the volume of deliveries with Ukrainian agricultural producers.
Who can be a donor to the programme?
Any country, non-governmental organisation or private company can join the Grain From Ukraine programme. The goal is to contribute to meeting the urgent humanitarian needs of countries on the brink of famine.
Who are the recipients?
The recipients of Ukrainian grain under this humanitarian programme are countries suffering from food shortages, including: Ethiopia, Somalia, Nigeria, Kenya, Sudan, Yemen, Afghanistan, Tanzania, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and others. As part of these efforts, Ukraine has also established the International Coordination Group for the Prevention of Hunger, which includes representatives of governments, corporations and philanthropists who can directly influence the food needs of millions of people around the world. The Coordination Group will develop a joint global action programme - a roadmap to prevent the global food crisis from worsening. WFP, together with Ukraine and donor countries, is identifying recipient countries for Ukrainian grain among those facing acute food shortages.
Promotion of the programme
The programme has three ambassadors on the African continent, including:
- Dr Joyce Banda is a former President of Malawi who is currently active in a number of international organisations and is a member of the UN Women Executive Committee.
- Dr. Christopher Fomunyo - Regional Director of Central and West Africa Programmes at NDI (USA), who has led international election observation missions and managed democracy support programmes in many countries on the African continent.
- Dr Obi Ezekwesili is a former Nigerian Minister of Education and former World Bank Vice President who is currently a Senior Advisor to the African Economic Development Policy Initiative and NDI's Regional Director for Africa.
How to become a donor?
Donors of the programme can transfer their financial contributions to:
- A special account at WFP to finance the Grain from Ukraine programme.
- A special account at the National Bank of Ukraine for crediting voluntary contributions (charitable donations) from individuals and legal entities of private and/or public law in national and foreign currency (USD, EUR, GBP, JPY) to provide financial support for humanitarian aid to African and Asian countries under the «Grain From Ukraine» campaign, opened by the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine. Additional information is available on the official website of the Ministry.
Open accounts: for crediting funds in the national currency - for crediting funds in USD - for crediting funds in EUR - for crediting funds in GBP - for crediting funds funds in JPY. Additional information on the official website of MINISTRY OF AGRARIAN POLICY AND FOOD OF UKRAINE.
" Grain from Ukraine" initiative has 4 Ambassadors:
Christopher Fomunyo (CAMEROON) is a Senior Fellow and Regional Director of the National Democratic Institute (NDI) for Central and West Africa (USA). He has participated in Grain from Ukraine events and, in particular, welcomed the arrival of grain in Kenya. He has organized and consulted on international election observation missions to Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Liberia, Liberia, Mauritius, Malawi, Madagascar, Mali, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone. He has also designed and overseen country-specific democracy support programs with civil society organizations, political parties, and legislatures in Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Côte d'Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Gambia, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Guinea Conakry, Liberia, Mali, Madagascar, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo, and Togo. In the course of his work, Dr. Fomunho regularly interacts with heads of state and government, cabinet ministers, elected officials, political and community leaders.
Charlotte Leslie is a British politician who was the Member of Parliament for North West Bristol. She is currently the Director of the Conservative Council on the Middle East. A new ambassador. Earlier in her career, Ms. Leslie worked in television at the BBC on The Weakest Link and The Holiday Program, as well as on independent programs on the BBC and Sky. She later worked as an adviser to David Willetts David, former Minister of State for Universities and Science, then Shadow Secretary of State for Children, Schools and David Willetts David, former Minister of State for Universities and Science, then Shadow Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, focusing mainly on special education needs, as well as at the Young People's Foundation and the National Autistic Society. Before her election in 2010, she edited Crossbow, the Bow Group's magazine, and has written for a variety of publications, including a regular blog for
Manav Sachdeva (INDIA) is the new Ambassador. An academic with 25 years of experience leading initiatives in various countries such as Afghanistan, India, Lebanon, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Guyana, Liberia, Kosovo, and has held senior positions at the UN Headquarters in New York and in US institutions in Washington, DC. Mr. Manav Sachdeva graduated from Columbia University with a degree in Economic Development and Structural State-Society Relations and continued his studies at Harvard University and the University of California. Mr. Manav Sachdeva has gained extensive experience as an ambassador and extensive contacts in the UN, USAID and other international organizations
Neven Mimica is a Croatian diplomat and politician who currently serves as the European Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development, a position he has held since 2014. Before that, he was Deputy Prime Minister of Croatia from 2011 to 2013, responsible for Internal, Foreign and European policy. Mimica’s roles have been pivotal for relations between
Croatia and Europe; between 2008 and 2011 he was the Deputy Speaker and Chairman of the European Integration Committee in the Croatian Parliament. Before his tenures within Europe Mimica was in the diplomatic service of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and Croatia from 1987 to 1997. He holds a BA in Foreign Trade and a MA in Economics from the University of Zagreb.