Help for Restoration of Ukrainian Agriculture’s Manufacturing Capability via Provision of Seeds – Ukraine

On March 9, the handover ceremony to provide sunflower and corn seeds for the Government of Ukraine was held in Kyiv, Ukraine, with H.E. Mr. MATSUDA Kuninori, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Ukraine, and H.E. Mr. Mykola Solskyi, Minister for Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine in attendance.

1. Russian aggression against Ukraine has caused significant damage to agriculture in Ukraine, which accounts for 10% of its GDP and about a quarter of its exports.

2. Through this cooperation, Japan will purchase sunflower and corn seeds through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), as livelihood assistance from Ukranian farmers, and the seeds will be distributed to approximately 400 smallholder farmers in Kharkiv, where agricultural production and farm income have significantly declined due to the war, with priority given to women and young farmers.

3. This cooperation aims to recover production capacity of the Ukrainian key industry, agriculture, in order to contribute to economic stabilization of the country, which is one of the main food suppliers, which will thereby lead to improving the global food supply.

4. The Government of Japan will continue to contribute to the recovery of Ukrainian agriculture’s production capacity and its industrial development, in coordination with efforts such as mine action towards the restoration of agricultural land in Ukraine.