One of every four rural Ukrainian households in an FAO survey said it has reduced or stopped agricultural production due to the Russian invasion, with the figure rising to 40 percent in some oblasts. Rural households account for roughly a third of Ukrainian agricultural output.
“Ukraine’s agriculture sector is an important source of livelihoods for the roughly 13 million Ukrainians living in rural areas,” said Pierre Vauthier, head of the FAO’s Ukraine country office. The FAO survey of 5,200 households focused on those involved in backyard and small-scale farming.
Over half of the rural households reported a decrease in income compared to a year ago, said the poll. Nearly six in 10 adopted practices such as selling assets, dipping into savings, borrowing money, making fewer trips to the doctor and spending less on fertilizer, pesticides, animal feed and veterinary care.
Among their major difficulties was the limited revenue from sale of products. “Similarly, rural households cited access to seeds, fertilizers and animal feed among their greatest needs,” said the FAO.