The Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine, together with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and with financial support from the Government of Norway, is launching a $4 million program to support rural communities in frontline regions, ProAgro Group reports.

The project will be implemented in the Chernihiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Mykolaiv regions and will cover more than 6,000 rural households. Priority assistance will be provided to the most vulnerable families and farmers, including internally displaced persons and people who have returned to their homes.

The support aims to ensure food production and create conditions for farmers to resume profitable activities related to crop cultivation and livestock farming. The program will also help restore access to agricultural land contaminated with explosive remnants of war, particularly in the Mykolaiv region.

“The implementation of this program will combine immediate support for affected communities with the restoration of the agricultural sector’s productive capacity in frontline areas. Importantly, the participant selection mechanism involves local communities, ensuring targeted and transparent assistance,” said Deputy Minister of Economy Denys Bashlyk.

Under the program, the following measures are planned:

• provision of vegetable and potato seeds to more than 4,000 rural households;
• support for around 1,900 livestock-keeping households, including day-old poultry kits as well as cash assistance for feed and veterinary services;
• individual support for small farmers registered in the State Agrarian Register, including greenhouses, irrigation and water storage systems, vouchers, and technical assistance.

According to Shakhnoza Muminova, Head of the FAO Office in Ukraine, combining agricultural support with the restoration of access to land helps remove key constraints to rebuilding production and enables farmers to return to full-scale economic activity.

Norway’s Minister of International Development, Åsmund Aukrust, noted that the war continues to undermine agricultural production in Ukraine, posing serious risks to food security both nationally and globally. Norway supports UN efforts aimed at helping farmers continue food production, protect livelihoods, and contribute to the country’s recovery.

The start of assistance delivery is scheduled for spring 2026. Participant registration will be carried out by local communities. Additional announcements will be made regarding the registration process and the official launch of the program.

Previously, it was reported that state support programs in 2025 covered tens of thousands of agricultural producers across most regions of Ukraine and became an important driver of rural economic recovery.