'My task was clear to me - there should be grain in the field'

The blockage of Ukrainian sea ports was among the biggest disruptions the war caused to the country’s agrarian sector. “Mykolaiv and Odesa ports were closed off entirely [before the Black Sea Grain Corridor was negotiated in July 2022],” recounts Volodymyr Ivashyna, farm manager and head of Zerno-BUNK grain cooperative in Kirovohrad Oblast. “The only operating port was Reni on the Danube River, but farmers from all over the country flocked there, and the queues were unbelievable.”

Soon, it became clear that the limited export capacities could create a deficit of storage space for new harvests. Like thousands of Ukrainian farmers, Volodymyr was desperate for a solution. And he found one in the USAID Agriculture Resilience Initiative-Ukraine (AGRI-Ukraine), which provided grain silo bags for temporary grain storage through USAID’s Agriculture Growing Rural Opportunities Activity in Ukraine (AGRO). By storing their grain in silo bags, agri-producers could continue harvesting.

Grain is the most valuable asset for farmers, especially given the amount of effort required to harvest it in 2022. In the spring, Volodymyr was unsure about whether he should begin the sowing campaign at all. Russian Federation troops prowled about in the fields some 40 kilometers from his farm. The local village shuddered from the sounds of tank duels, rocket launches, and fighter aircraft overhead.

“We were thinking about our families and children. What should we do to protect them from the enemies? Should we take up arms? The questions were endless. In the end, we decided to stay and work our fields; buy the overpriced ammonium nitrate and crop protection products, and sow. We had seeds and diesel fuel for the sowing campaign, so we were partially ready. I reasoned that we should sow, come what may. The harvest might stay in the field or might end up in the granary, after all. The village might be occupied by the Russians, too. It all seemed equally possible then. My task was clear - there should be grain in the field. If I get to harvest it, lucky me. If not, so be it.”

Volodymyr was lucky: the Armed Forces of Ukraine stopped the enemy from advancing, and he could harvest the grain. Then came another challenge: what to sell and how. The farm badly needed working capital. He sold sunflower and rapeseed, the crops that were better priced at that time. Volodymyr shipped whatever was in greater demand on the market, often with quick turnarounds of two-three days. The grain stocks from the previous year, though, did not sell very well. And as the corn harvesting season drew closer, the issue of storage loomed large.

Volodymyr says he learned about silo bags from the media, and at first, he thought it was impossible for his farm to use this opportunity. But after he spoke with representatives of the Hospodar cooperative association, one of USAID AGRO’s sub-grantees and part of AGRI-Ukraine, his doubts were assuaged. Hospodar promised to take care of Volodymyr’s grain stocks. “I took the offer, and I felt very grateful when they brought the silo bags, an overloading hopper, and a bagging machine,” recalls Volodymyr. “I got everything on time. The equipment was fully operational and packing went smoothly. Thanks to USAID AGRO, we received auxiliary equipment to control grain quality, in particular, to control for wheat protein.”

Volodymyr continues, “Essentially, thanks to the silo bags, we had capacity to store corn. Now, the farmers who decided to leave the corn in the field are in a tight spot because that corn went bad. No one wants it. It’s worthless. We, on the other hand, harvested almost on time. And since we store the grain both in silo bags and granaries, we can sell all we want. I’m very grateful to AGRO for this opportunity.”

Overall, Volodymyr stored 800 tons of corn in silo bags. He sold part of it to his benefit. “I managed to get a higher price. Hopefully, the other half will wait till spring. When it’s warm and sunny, I’ll unload the rest. Most importantly, I saved my corn harvest.” This means his farm continues operating despite the uncertainty amid the war.

Volodymyr says he placed an order for fertilizers, even though he’s currently short of money. Paying for the inputs ahead of the sowing campaign is his next challenge. “I don’t know what comes next.?No one knows. But if you chose to stay, pull your weight. That’s what I think. Someone has to hold this frontline for a better economy and food security.”

USAID AGRO supports agricultural producers in this challenging endeavor. In 2022, USAID AGRO assisted almost 2,000 farmers by providing nearly 8,000 silo bags to store up to 1.5 million tons of grain, loading and packing equipment (29 grain packing machines and 30 overloading hoppers), and 36 modular grain storage containers.