Prices of corn, wheat and soyabean soared following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, one of the world’s largest grain exporters, sparking a hunger crisis in poorer parts of the world and driving up the cost of food for consumers in rich countries.

Under the Grain From Ukraine program, launched by President Volodymyr Zelensky in late 2022, more than 170,000 tonnes of Ukrainian grain have been successfully delivered to several African countries, including Somalia, Ethiopia, and Kenya as well as war-torn Yemen. Gaza may follow.

The program has garnered contributions exceeding $US200 million ($306 million) from more than 30 countries and international organisations, including Australian mining magnate Andrew Forrest, European Union countries, the US, Canada, Britain, Japan and South Korea.

Mykola said African countries in particular had been let down by Russia’s blockades of Ukrainian ports and Moscow had tried to keep many nations in its orbit through coercion, bribery and fear.

He said Ukraine’s efforts were first driven by a moral obligation, but it was hoping to open several new embassies and gain better diplomatic ties in Africa to help free many nations on the continent from Russia’s grip.

The Kremlin has longstanding partnerships with several countries in Africa dating back to the Soviet era, but Moscow has ramped up efforts to cement ties on the continent since becoming isolated from Western countries over the Ukraine war.

Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, many African countries have remained publicly neutral and abstained from voting against Russia at United Nations meetings.

South Africa insists it’s not taking sides in the conflict and has denied supplying weapons to Russia. The former Soviet Union supported many African nations in their fight for independence, Moscow supplies many with arms, while mercenaries from Russia’s Wagner group fight rebels on behalf of several African governments.

Ukraine’s agricultural exports have long been vital for many countries in the continent. Before the war, Ukraine supplied more than 15 per cent of the world’s corn exports, 10 per cent of wheat, 15-20 per cent of barley, and more than 50 per cent of sunflower oil.

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But Solskyi said in two years of war, more than 20 per cent of agricultural land – around 7 million hectares – have been lost to the conflict.

“Last year, more than 200,000 hectares of agricultural land were demined, another 512,000 hectares are planned to be cleared in 2024,” he said.

“But the war is still ongoing. There are occupied territories, they have to be examined and possibly cleared after the liberation, and this is millions of hectares.”

He said the Ukrainian agricultural sector has suffered losses of more than $US80 billion, with more than $5.8 billion of that in damaged and destroyed machinery.

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“The hardest thing was at the beginning, there was no understanding of how the situation would develop further, whether we could sow, collect, sell, what would happen to export,” he said.

“Then it became clear that the Ukrainian agrarian business is quite mobile and can find ways to solve problems. It was not easy for us, but we became more confident in our own abilities.”

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