USAID and Corteva Agriscience join forces to aid Ukraine farmers amid “immensely challenging” planting season

05 Jun 2023 --- To increase farmer access to crop inputs, financing and post-harvest storage, Corteva and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) have inked a partnership to help war-torn Ukraine agricultural workers.

“Ukrainian farmers are entering this planting season facing immense challenges,” says Igor Teslenko, Corteva president of Agriscience Europe, Middle East & Africa. “We are honored to support their efforts with hybrid seeds and crop protection products that leverage one of the world’s most evolved germplasm and sustainably advantaged chemistries.”

“Our solutions will enable these farmers to meet their yield and productivity goals while supporting their country’s pressing food security needs and the global agricultural market.”

Boosting production
Corteva aims to provide Ukrainian farmers with reliable seeds of hybrid corn and sunflower, as well as crop protection technologies, agronomic support and financing tools. The latter include promissory notes and harvest receipts, which can help farmers secure loans and store their grain. 

The company aims to increase the production of hybrid corn and sunflower seeds in the region by 30% in the next five years.

Corteva’s efforts are aligned with USAID’s US$100 million Agriculture Resilience Initiative (AGRI) – Ukraine, which seeks to improve the market conditions, productivity and competitiveness of Ukrainian agriculture. The initiative also responds to the global food security crisis worsened by the war in Ukraine. 

Ukraine might lose 20% of its winter grain yield if the dry and hot weather persists.By collaborating with USAID, Corteva hopes to advance shared goals and empower Ukrainian farmers to produce harvests that are vital for regional and global food security.

Battered crops
The Ukraine national academy of agricultural science revealed last week that the country might lose 20% of its winter grain yield if the dry and hot weather persists. This will lower the country’s grain output to 44.5 million metric tons.

Earlier this year, the Ukraine Grain Association forecasted the country would have a challenging year and put then the expected grain production at 50 million metric tons. 

Farmers in the country are also affected by financial struggles. 

To prevent the Ukraine’s agriculture sector from collapsing, FAO is ramping up funding to support the country’s food production and boost supply chains. Generators, modular units, wheat, barley and oat seeds will be urgently deployed to restore critical production and value chains.

Ukraine’s grain has been critical to lower food commodity prices, especially cereal ones. In May, world cereal prices fell 4.8%, reflecting prospects for ample global supplies in the upcoming 2023/24 season and the extension of the Black Sea Grain Initiative,” according to the FAO. 

Since the start of the initiative, cereal prices are down 25.3%, with Ukraine and Russia agreeing to extend the agreement until at least July 17. https://www.foodingredientsfirst.com/news/last-minute-u-turn-black-sea-grain-deal-renewed-for-60-days.html

Monika Tothova, a UN economist for the FAO, told us that Ukraine’s produce and the shipping of commodities through the Black Sea Grain Initiative “contributes to stabilizing world markets.”

Edited by Marc Cervera