Ukrainian farmers collectively named 2022 Farming Champions of the Year
7th October 2022
The well-deserving recipients of the NFU’s 2022 Farming Champions of the Year award were the farmers of Ukraine, who have continued food production in the face of the horrifying challenges of the Russian invasion.
Despite the immeasurable destruction caused by the Russian troops since the invasion began on 24th February, Ukrainian farmers valiantly continued to feed not only their own nation, but the rest of the world. In the midst of the war, they have not stopped tending to their crops, looking after their animals, and securing livelihoods for their families.
Announcing the award, NFU president Minette Batters said: “No-one has earned this award more than the farmers of Ukraine who have endured eight months of hell since the Russian invasion began.”
According to the Agricultural War Damages Review published by the Centre for Food and Land Use Research at the Kyiv School of Economics, damages to Ukraine’s agriculture reached an estimated $4.3 billion in June this year. Of all areas of farming, the greatest damage (worth $2.1 billion) has been caused to farmland and unharvested crops, followed by machinery and storage facilities.
Andrii Dykun, chairman of the Ukrainian Agri Council, accepted the award on behalf of Ukrainian farmers via video during a ceremony in London. Speaking at the event, he thanked the UK for its continued support throughout the war.
Andrii Dykun, chairman of the Ukrainian Agri Council.
Mr Dykun also talked briefly about the tragic circumstances many Ukrainian farmers currently find themselves in. He said a large number had lost everything, particularly in occupied territories where Russian soldiers destroyed farms, took machinery and equipment, and brought sowing operations to a standstill.
Ms Batters said the award is intended to show the nation’s support for fellow Ukrainian farmers:
“We often describe farmers as a community. More often than not we mean a British community. But this has been a time where farmers have demonstrated we are a global community as we all want to show support for our fellow farmers in Ukraine who are going through an ordeal which we in Britain find impossible to imagine.
“This award normally goes to a person who’s gone above and beyond, but this year we wanted to show solidarity to all our farming friends in Ukraine and we look forward to the time that we can present this award to them in person.”
On a side note, she added that the horrific Ukrainian war has exposed food security weaknesses in countries such as the UK.
“It’s true that we are facing unprecedented inflationary challenges at home, but we are not seeing our livestock bombed and burnt alive, our fields becoming landmine death traps – and we’re not facing the horror of whether our friends and family will make it through the day.”
