FAO report: agriculture remains a lifeline for rural families in war-affected Ukraine

Budapest - Agriculture continues to play a critical role in protecting Ukrainian communities from food insecurity, even as war-related shocks, declining incomes and limited access to inputs place growing pressure on rural livelihoods, according to new assessment released by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

The report on food security and agricultural livelihoods in Ukraine, based on interviews with more than 2 800 households across nine front-line oblasts, provides a detailed picture of how rural families are coping with the prolonged impacts of the war.

The report reveals that, despite the challenges, agriculture continues to serve as a vital safety net. Four in ten households are engaged in agricultural production, and for many families farming provides a direct source of food while helping shield them from market disruptions and rising food prices. At the same time, the assessment shows that rural livelihoods are under increasing strain. One in three households reported a decline in income over the past year, reflecting growing economic pressure on families already affected by the war.

This financial stress is forcing many households to adopt strategies that may help them manage short-term hardship but weaken their resilience over time. More than 75 percent of surveyed households reported relying on coping mechanisms, such as spending savings, borrowing money or cutting essential expenditures, including healthcare and education.

"For many rural families in Ukraine, agriculture is not just a source of income - it is a lifeline that helps them feed their families and maintain a sense of stability despite the ongoing war," said Shakhnoza Muminova, Head of the FAO Office in Ukraine. "Supporting farmers and rural households is therefore necessary not only to protect food security today, but also to safeguard the resilience and recovery of rural communities."

The findings of the report also highlight the compounded challenges faced by the most vulnerable groups. Internally displaced persons, women-headed households and families living near the frontline experience higher exposure to shocks and significantly greater risks of food insecurity.

"The assessment shows that many rural households continue to rely on farming as a crucial coping strategy," said Aziz Karimov, Head of the Assessment, Research, and MEAL Unit at FAO Ukraine, and a lead author of the report. "However, declining incomes, repeated shocks and limited access to agricultural inputs are gradually weakening this safety net, leaving vulnerable households increasingly exposed to food insecurity."

Evidence to guide emergency agriculture and support rural livelihoods

The report provides critical insight into how the war continues to affect food security and agricultural livelihoods at the household level. By linking economic pressures, production challenges and exposure to shocks, it helps explain why many rural families are becoming increasingly vulnerable despite continuing to farm.

The findings have informed FAO's Emergency and Early Recovery Response Plan for Ukraine 2026-2028, as well as Food Security and Livelihood Cluster partners planning processes aimed at strengthening agricultural resilience and protecting rural livelihoods. By providing evidence on how the war continues to affect household food security and agricultural production, the assessment helps guide targeted support to farmers and rural communities.

As Ukraine continues to face the profound consequences of the war, coordinated efforts by national authorities, humanitarian partners and international donors remain essential to address the growing pressures on rural communities. Supporting farmers and rural families is critical to stabilizing food systems, protecting livelihoods and preventing further deterioration of food security in rural areas.

Key findings

• Agriculture remains a critical livelihood strategy, with 40 percent of surveyed households engaged in agricultural production, and 86 percent of agricultural households producing primarily for self-consumption.
• Agriculture helps protect households from food insecurity, with farming households reporting lower levels of food deprivation and more diverse diets compared with households not engaged in agricultural activities.
• Rural households are under increasing financial pressure, with one in three households reporting a decline in income over the past year, and 48 percent of households relying primarily on agricultural income experiencing falling earnings.
• Households in frontline areas face significant economic vulnerability, with 42 percent relying on pensions and 36 percent on social benefits as their primary income sources, and 3 percent reporting no income at all.
• Agricultural production is declining under mounting constraints, with 30 percent of crop producers reporting smaller harvests, rising to 45 percent in Khersonska oblast, while 20 percent of livestock producers reported losing animals due to the war.
• More than 75 percent of households reported adopting coping strategies to manage financial hardship, including spending savings, borrowing money or reducing essential expenditures such as healthcare and education.
• Displacement has had severe impacts on livestock production, with 70 percent of surveyed evacuees reporting that they had to abandon livestock when fleeing their homes.
• The most vulnerable groups remain internally displaced persons, women-headed households and families living near the frontline, who consistently experience higher levels of food insecurity, more frequent shocks and greater reliance on negative coping strategies.