The FAO said it has a field presence across all of Ukraine. The agency has experience in delivering cash-based assistance to rural communities.
FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu expressed his concern about the potential impact of the current emergency on access to food and the possible expansion of food insecurity among affected communities.
In 2021, one in four people in Eastern Ukraine were already food insecure due to various challenges and the COVID-19 pandemic. What's more, 1.1 million people require food and agricultural assistance, Qu said.
The importance of boosting access to food and bolstering food security demands the collective attention of UN members and partners. According to the UN appeal, the drastic deterioration of the security situation in Ukraine could exponentially increase the number of food-insecure households. The rise is due to farming families and owners of small agricultural operations fleeing conflict-affected areas. Farmers could also miss the May 2022 planting season, the appeal notes. Priority activities aimed at averting food security crisis under the appeal include: conducting a rapid food security assessment to better estimate needs; mobilising food security assistance; providing hot meals in collective centres; distributing emergency food kits; and delivering agricultural inputs, including vegetable garden seeds, tools as well as veterinary care to farm animals so farmers can continue to produce and sustain household and local community nutrition.
FAO's Qu also warned about possible implications of the crisis for food security beyond the region, including countries that rely on varying degrees of wheat sourced from that sector.
He concluded that disruptions to international food markets resulting from the conflict could pressure import-reliant countries, especially those already experiencing high levels of food insecurity or grappling with their food crises.
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