The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine have entered a partnership to improve coordination as part of an overall plan to fight global food insecurity.
Particulars of the memorandum of understanding were outlined during a recent meeting with United Nations ambassadors and officials at the U.S. Mission to the U.N., according to a June 16 news release.
“Since February, the world has witnessed Russia’s unjustified invasion of Ukraine and the disruption it is causing to agricultural production, trade and most importantly, food security,” Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack said in the release. “Russia’s actions are posing major threats not only to the people of Ukraine but to countries in Africa and the Middle East that rely on the grains and other staples produced in Ukraine. Russia is using food as a weapon and a tool of war to threaten the livelihoods of those around the world, and that is something the agriculture community cannot and will not stand for.”
Vilsack stressed the people of Ukraine can use all the help they can get, the release reported.
“Ukraine needs the world’s support, and this week I met with Ukrainian Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Mykola Solskyi to express USDA’s commitment to helping rebuild and strengthen Ukraine’s agriculture sector,” he added, according to the release. “This MOU will amplify the strategic partnership between our two nations and leverage our collective strength to enhance productivity, address supply chain issues and identify food security challenges. This is an important step forward and, when implemented, will allow us to better fight global food insecurity together.”
The memorandum outlines plans for a three-year partnership that focuses on many of the needs made plain by the economic disruptions here in the U.S. and across the country due to the ongoing Russian war on Ukraine, the release reported. The two sides will agree to the consistent exchange of information and expertise in the areas of crop production, emerging technologies, climate-smart practices, food security and supply chain issues to boost productivity and enhance both agricultural sectors.
