FAO and Norway launch a USD 4 million project to support rural communities in frontline areas of Ukraine

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Government of Norway have launched a new project to support rural communities in frontline areas of Ukraine. The initiative will be implemented in Chernihivska, Dnipropetrovska and Mykolaivska oblasts, where rural households and small-scale farmers continue to face the impacts of the war, including damaged infrastructure, disrupted agricultural production, reduced access to productive resources and, in some areas, contamination of agricultural land.

“The war continues to undermine Ukraine’s agricultural production and rural livelihoods, with serious consequences for food security both nationally and globally. Norway supports the United Nations’ efforts to help Ukrainian farmers continue producing food, protect their livelihoods and contribute to the country’s recovery,” said Åsmund Aukrust, Minister of International Development of Norway.

The new project will prioritise support to the most vulnerable rural families and small-scale farmers, including internally displaced persons and returnees whose livelihoods have been disrupted by the war. Assistance will focus on safeguarding food production at household level while enabling farmers to resume income-generating agricultural activities linked to crop and livestock production.

Emergency and early recovery support will be delivered across all three targeted regions, providing access to agricultural inputs, cash-based assistance and targeted technical guidance adapted to local conditions. In parallel, the programme’s mine action component will focus specifically on Mykolaivska oblast, where efforts will contribute to restoring safe access to agricultural land and supporting farmers in resuming production.

“For many farming families, the war has not only destroyed infrastructure but has fundamentally changed how and where they can farm,” said Shakhnoza Muminova, Head of the FAO Office in Ukraine. “By combining agricultural assistance with land rehabilitation where needed, this programme addresses the real barriers farmers face in resuming production and sustaining their livelihoods.”

As part of the programme, more than 4 000 rural families will receive high-quality vegetable and potato seeds to support immediate food production. Targeted assistance will also support displaced families and livestock-keeping households in restoring crop and livestock production. In addition, small-scale farmers registered in the State Agrarian Registry will receive tailored support, including greenhouses, irrigation and water storage systems, as well as vouchers and technical assistance to strengthen agricultural production.

This project forms part of FAO’s broader support to Ukraine’s agricultural sector, contributing to the implementation of FAO’s Emergency and Early Recovery Response Plan (EERRP) for 2026–2028, which focuses on maintaining food production and supporting rural livelihoods in the context of the ongoing war. Norway is one of FAO’s key partners in Ukraine, having provided approximately USD 14.8 million since the start of the full-scale invasion, including support for initiatives addressing land contamination and agricultural recovery.