Emergency food security assistance through the provision of agricultural inputs in Donetsk and Luhansk regions

Objective:

To preserve the food security of the local rural population through the provision of inputs to sustain household production of nutritious food and improve livelihoods in the two regions.

Beneficiaries reached:

• 22 217 households (59 000 people), of which 31 673 were female headed.

Activities implemented:

• Distributed 250 tonnes of high quality potato seeds to 2 508 households in 55 villages.
• Distributed drip irrigation systems, a three-metric tonne water tank and rainwater collection system to 100 households with no or limited access to water.
• Distributed 1 255 tonnes of livestock fodder (125 kg per household) to 10 608 households.
• Distributed 55 tonnes of alfalfa hay to 68 households (800 kg per household).
• Distributed one-day old poultry (22 500 chicks, 20 000 ducklings and 20 000 turkey poults) and 50 tonnes of concentrated poultry feed (100 kg per household) to 2 823 households. Additional one-day old poultry were also provided to 2 753 households.
• Distributed three young rabbits and a set of rabbit cages to 502 households in seven villages of eastern Ukraine.
• Provided 150 bee colonies, five beehives each, a set of basic beekeeping tools (including honey extractors) and trainings on modern practices of honey production to 50 households.
• Provided educational leaflets on sustainable poultry breeding, beekeeping, sustainable rabbit breeding and an overview of the most common diseases affecting poultry and rabbits along with prevention information to 6 128 households.
• Provided 21 units of agricultural machinery to 16 cooperatives.
• Trained 264 farmers on cooperative creation, accounting, business planning, marketing, fundraising and food safety legislation.

Impact:

• Produced up to 300 kg of potatoes per household for own consumption.
• Increased garden productivity and poultry odds of survival during their first days of life.
• Sustainably bred rabbits in backyard gardens.
• Created 14 cooperatives from farmer interest groups, including six cooperatives chaired by women.
• Ensured the survival of households’ livestock through harsh weather conditions.
• Provided households with source of nutritious food throughout the winter season.
• Nutrients received from the slaughtered poultry covered households’ basic needs in protein for up to seven days for a family of three.