Minderoo Foundation commits a further US$2 million to help protect Ukraine’s harvest, frontline farmers and global food security
Minderoo Foundation will provide US$2 million for an emergency response to help frontline farmers protect millions of metric tons of Ukrainian grain stranded by Black Sea export disruptions and port blockages caused by ongoing attacks.
The funding will be delivered through the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to procure and distribute emergency grain storage solutions for small and medium-sized farmers across frontline agricultural regions including Kherson, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Sumy and Chernihiv.
Prior to Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukraine fed an estimated 400 million people globally.
Today, ongoing attacks on port infrastructure has created a major export bottleneck, with an estimated 11 million tonnes of grain at risk of requiring temporary storage if these disruptions continue. FAO estimates this could impact global food supply by up to 24 million tonnes over the next 12 months if this crisis continues.
The initiative, led by the government of Ukraine and FAO will help farmers store grain safely, reducing post-harvest losses and preserving farm incomes whilst maintaining Ukraine’s contribution to global food supplies. Minderoo’s funding contributes to a broader emergency response requiring up to US$25 million to reach most at-risk agricultural communities.
“Ukraine’s agricultural sector needs solutions that can match the speed and scale of the challenges it is facing,” Shakhnoza Muminova, Head of the FAO Office in Ukraine, said.
“Temporary storage is one of them. It can be deployed quickly, at farm level and at significant scale, helping absorb immediate pressure while export and logistics constraints persist. FAO and its partners have demonstrated since 2022 that this model works, and we are building on that experience to respond to the needs of the current harvest.”
Dr Andrew Forrest AO said food should never be used as a weapon of war, and that protecting Ukraine’s harvest meant helping safeguard food security for people around the world.
“Ukraine’s farmers are continuing to feed the world under extraordinarily difficult circumstances. Protecting this harvest means protecting livelihoods, strengthening Ukraine’s resilience and safeguarding global food security when the world can least afford further disruption,” Dr Forrest said.
“Minderoo Foundation has stood with Ukraine since the earliest days of Russia’s full-scale invasion. As new challenges emerge, Minderoo’s commitment remains the same: backing the people who keep communities fed and economies moving.
“The determination of Ukraine’s farmers is extraordinary. They continue to show up every day despite the challenges of war, and Minderoo is proud to stand with them.
“At a time of immense pressure, practical solutions can make the difference between a harvest that is lost and one that reaches the people who need it most.”
Minderoo Foundation’s latest support package builds on its 2022 partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization, which helped deploy emergency storage solutions protecting approximately six million tonnes of grain.
“The need is even more urgent today,” John Hartman, CEO, Minderoo Foundation, said.
“After years of war, many frontline farmers are operating under sustained financial pressure and have limited capacity to absorb further shocks. Protecting this year’s harvest is critical not only for rural livelihoods and Ukraine’s economic resilience, but also for global food security at a time of growing pressure on food systems and international supply chains.”
Alongside this investment, Minderoo Foundation will this week hold a convening of government, philanthropy and industry partners in the margins of the UN General Assembly to accelerate solutions to expand storage capacity, strengthen alternative export pathways and support the long-term resilience of Ukraine’s agricultural sector.
Since 2022, Minderoo Foundation has committed more than A$40 million to Ukraine, including significant support to frontline agricultural communities.