Food Insecurity Rising

The War in Ukraine is creating a global food crisis and increasing food insecurity across Eastern Europe

The Russian invasion of Ukraine and ensuing war could see five years of progress made against the Sustainable Developmental Goals erased in many Eastern European nations. Couple this with over two years of COVID-related restrictions and economic disruptions, and the vulnerable that were struggling last year could be facing years of increased food insecurity, malnutrition, and worsening poverty.

Not only has the war cut access to basic food supplies for many in Ukraine as grocery stores and other infrastructure in areas of the country under Russian attack have been destroyed, but countless food producing farms have been damaged or destroyed.

Russian military blockades of Ukrainian seaports are blocking the export of stored grain, depleting key revenue sources for farmers while fueling a global food crisis.


Help families struggling with food insecurity caused by the war in Ukraine through Mission Without Borders Hope in Crisis program today.


Mission Without Borders is working to alleviate food-insecurity for families in Ukraine, Romania, Moldova, Albania, Bulgaria, and Bosnia-Herzegovina by delivering monthly food parcels to vulnerable families in need while working with families and providing training to grow their vegetables through its Families-to-Families Self-Sufficiency programming.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine and ensuing war has created an environment which could see the progress made against the Sustainable Developmental Goals erased in many Eastern European nations have made over the past five years. Couple this with over two-years of COVID-related restrictions and economic disruptions and the vulnerable that were struggling last year could be facing years of increased food insecurity, malnutrition, and worsening poverty. Not only has the war cut access to basic food supplies for many in Ukraine as grocery stores and other infrastructure in areas of the country under Russian attack have been destroyed, but countless food producing farms have been damaged or destroyed.  Russian military blockades of Ukrainian seaports are blocking the export of stored grain, depleting key revenue sources for farmers while fueling a global food crisis. Mission Without Borders is working to alleviate food-insecurity for families in Ukraine, Romania, Moldova, Albania, Bulgaria, and Bosnia-Herzegovina by delivering monthly food parcels to vulnerable families in need while working with families and providing training to grow their vegetables through its Families-to-Families Self-Sufficiency programming.
MIssion Without Borders helps families combat food insecurity with emergency
aid and micro-agriculture training to grow, and sell, their own food.

However, even with emergency food deliveries and micro-agriculture training, the risk of food insecurity is rising in the region, particularly in Ukraine.

Reports of Russian military stealing farm equipment and shipping grain stores back to Russia have been reported by Ukrainian government officials and farmers alike.

Wheat Production in Ukraine
Ukraine's farms and grain store exports are at risk due to the war.
Source: Financial Times

“The most straightforward conclusion from Russia’s exporting grain from Ukraine is [that] their aim [is] to exacerbate the risk of shortages and hunger in the Ukrainian territories under Russian control,” said Vladyslava Magaletska, former head of Kyiv’s state service for food security, recently quoted in the Financial Times.

“The impact of the ongoing war in Ukraine is expected to have severe consequences for food security outcomes, following the displacement of millions of Ukrainians and widespread destruction of infrastructure and livelihoods. Severe repercussions are also expected at the regional and global level, as many food crisis countries depend on imports for staple food supplies and fertilizers, notably from Ukraine and the Russian Federation,” says the World Food Program in its recent forecast in its 2022 Global Report in Food Crisis.

Food insecurity has severe developmental risks for children in the region. Although many countries have made advances against malnutrition recently, Bulgaria, Romania, and Ukraine still have more than 3% of children that suffer from child wasting. Wasting is the most visible and life-threating form of malnutrition among children according to UNICEF.

And the situation is only expected to get worse as the war in Ukraine drags on, as detailed in the Food Security Information Network’s 2022 global analysis report: “The war is expected to drastically increase needs due to the negative impacts of widespread fighting and violence, while deepening the needs of those who were already displaced or required assistance. Though significant uncertainty exists, an estimated 2.5–4.99 million people in Ukraine (around 5–10% of the population) will likely need humanitarian assistance in the near term (FEWS NET, April 2022). As of 16 March 2022, 6.48 million Ukrainians were estimated to be internally displaced. Another 12 million were estimated to be stranded in areas affected by conflict or unable to leave. Humanitarian corridors with satisfactory security guarantees for the safe evacuation of civilians had still not been secured by both parties four weeks after the crisis began (Protection Cluster, March 2022). Combined, the number of internally displaced peoples and those who have fled to other countries amount to around 9.8 million people – more than 23 percent of the country’s population (OCHA, March 2022). Population displacement, damage to agricultural infrastructure, lack of affordable agricultural inputs, and disruption to markets and food supply chains are likely to impact food production and agriculture-based livelihoods in the short and longer term.”

You can help fight food insecurity and provide hope to families in need across Eastern Europe by supporting Mission Without Borders’ Hope in Crisis program. Donations will help Mission Without Borders provide air and supplies to people when and where they need it most. Donate today.

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