Millions of Ukrainians experience food shortages, many turning to loans to feed families, UN reports
Pravda Ukraine
About five million Ukrainians are experiencing food shortages, with the greatest need in the frontline regions.
Source: a release from the UN World Food Programme (WFP)
Details: WFP noted that millions of people are forced to resort to extreme measures: they refuse to eat their own meals to feed their children or go into debt to buy the necessary food for their families.
Despite food aid from the WFP, more than half of the population in Kherson Oblast is facing acute food shortages, while in Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk oblasts, two out of every five people are affected by food insecurity.
“Families in frontline regions are struggling to put food on the table, forcing them to make heartbreaking choices just to get by,” said Richard Ragan, WFP Country Director in Ukraine. “As we look forward to sustainable peace in what is considered to be one of the world’s historical breadbasket regions, we must face the reality that humanitarian aid continues to be a lifeline for millions.”
WFP monitoring shows that 72% of those receiving food aid have to save on food, buy less nutritious food, skip meals or borrow money to feed their families.
“Across six frontline regions almost a third of all people are food insecure,” the UN said.
In areas near the war zone, commercial supply chains are disrupted, infrastructure is frequently damaged or destroyed and opportunities to earn a living are severely limited.
“Where supermarkets are accessible and stocked, many families cannot afford nutritious food. The cost of basic food items rose by 25 per cent in the last year, with some staple vegetables more than doubling in price,” WFP added.
Background: In November 2023, it was reported that 80% of settlements near the front line in Ukraine were experiencing obstacles in accessing food.
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