Yermak: Grain from Ukraine program to expand further, strengthening global food security efforts

Cranes at the grain terminal of the port of Odesa, Ukraine. (Bo Amstrup / Ritzau Scanpix / AFP) / Denmark OUT via Getty Images)

Ukraine plans to expand its Grain From Ukraine humanitarian program to further supply food to Africa, the Caribbean, and other regions, according to Andriy Yermak, head of the President's Office.

Since the initiative's launch in fall 2022, Ukraine has sent over 220,000 tons of agricultural products to ten countries in Africa and Asia, providing food security to 8 million people.

According to Yermak, products sent through this program have included 195,000 tons of wheat, 22,200 tons of wheat flour and 4,100 tons of cracked nuts.

In early 2024, Ukrainian food was supplied to Sudan, Nigeria, Mauritania, Djibouti, Mozambique, and the Congo, with shipments currently en route to Malawi and other countries. Discussions are underway for potential supplies to Haiti, Chad, Cameroon, Tanzania, and more.

Ukrainian diplomats are promoting the program globally through various diplomatic efforts and projects like Together We Rise in Nairobi.

Ukraine is one of the world's leading agricultural producers and has been a major supplier of grain and other products to countries in Africa and Asia.

Before the full-scale invasion, Ukraine was the fifth-largest wheat exporter globally.

Russia's full-scale war against the country and its attempted blockade of the Black Sea forced Ukrainian exporters to seek alternative routes and markets, which in turn led to clashes between Ukrainian and European producers.