A UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) initiative boosting potato growing in Ukraine will receive funds from Ireland totaling EUR450,000. 500 tonnes of certified seed potatoes will be sent to this country as part of the initiative.

10,000 very vulnerable small-holder farmers in rural regions near the frontlines in eastern and southern Ukraine will get these seed potatoes from FAO Ukraine. 50 kilogram of seed will be given to each farmer.

“Ireland and Ukraine share many similarities, particularly the huge importance of agriculture both economically and socially. I am delighted that my Department’s international cooperation funding can support this project to support small-holder farmers in potato production, complementing the support for smallholder poultry production in Ukraine funded by the Government and my Department last year,” Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue said, according to an Irish Government press release.

He added that this amount of excellent seed potatoes have the potential to generate up to 7,000 tonnes of ware potatoes in addition to conserving 10% of the crop as seed potatoes for the next season. This will provide enough potatoes to feed 45,000 to 50,000 people over a year.

The seed potatoes were raised by producers for the Irish business IPM Potato Ltd. in the Netherlands and France. The seed potato types were specifically grown for Ukraine’s agroecological conditions.

Ukraine is one of the world’s leading potato producers, with small-holder farmers accounting for the majority of output. Since the commencement of the conflict, Ukraine’s usual seed potato supply arrangements have been interrupted, and imports of certified seed input stocks have been badly hampered.