Before the onset of the full-scale aggression by the Russian Federation, Ukraine provided food for about 400 million people in various countries around the world, including the European Union, North Africa, and Asia. Ukrainian farmers accounted for nearly 10% of global grain supplies, making the country a key player in the global food market.
This is reported by Finway
The Impact of Landmines on Ukraine’s Agriculture
The situation has drastically changed due to military aggression and active hostilities: occupation and landmining have rendered approximately 20% of agricultural land (over 6 million hectares) unsuitable for cultivation. Restoring access to these lands is an extremely important task for the country’s economy and global food stability.
“It is critically important to bring them back into use as quickly as possible,” noted Dmytro Salimonov, a top manager at Global Clearance Solutions in Ukraine (GCS), a company specializing in the removal of explosive threats.
In total, over 138,500 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory remain potentially contaminated with explosive devices. This accounts for over 22% of the country’s area. Experts estimate that complete demining of the country’s territory could cost approximately $30 billion, while clearing only agricultural land would amount to $10–15 billion.
The Economic Efficiency of Investments in Demining
Investments in humanitarian demining demonstrate significant economic effects. For every dollar invested in this sector, the country receives over four dollars in the long term in the form of GDP growth, the creation of new jobs, the return of residents to their homes, and the activation of economic activity in cleared areas. The recovery of agricultural production, increased product exports, and tax revenues all contribute to the rapid return on investment and enhance overall economic development.
Currently, over 70 specialized GCS machines are already operating in Ukraine, and investment volumes in 2023–2024 have exceeded 2 million euros. The company emphasizes that a systematic approach to demining will allow Ukraine not only to regain its leadership position in the agricultural sector but also to become a model for the world in the field of humanitarian demining.