Ukraine war worsens farm worker shortage

Ukraine war worsens farm worker shortage

As the war drags on, more and more Ukrainians find themselves in uniform

As the war in Ukraine drags on, more and more potential farm workers find themselves in uniform instead, worsening a farm labour shortage.


Firefighters work at the site of a Russian air strike, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Kharkiv, Ukraine May 14, 2024.

From Ukraine: Our common hive

The people of Ukraine continue to adapt, survive and even thrive

You wake up in the morning and drink coffee before starting the work day. You turn on the TV and listen to a long list of deaths and destruction that happened in your country overnight. The announcer speaks almost without emotion, as if he is talking about everyday, ordinary things. You hear that 10 missiles

Daughter Kateryna Zhovtyak founded a bakery before the war, but is now in uniform.

From Ukraine: On the home front

Polina Zhovtyak keeps the home fires burning as her husband and daughter serve in the Ukrainian army

After more than two years of all-out war, I have heard many incredible stories of people and how they cope, survive and even thrive. At times I think I will be surprised by nothing. In some parts of the country, in relatively peaceful regions, some live much as they did before the war. In other


Ukrainian farmers who owned their own equipment were not at risk of missing crucial field work windows.  Photo: Ihor Pavliuk

War teaches Ukrainian farmers tough lessons 

As the war approaches its second anniversary, the farmers who adapted earliest have been in the best position to survive  

Feb. 24 marks two years since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It seems like a short time, but it has caused huge upheaval in our society. Hundreds of thousands have died and millions have lost their homes.

A man is seen outside the house damaged by Russian shelling, Odesa Region, southern Ukraine. (Photo by Nina Liashonok/Ukrinform/Sipa USA)

What is war fatigue?

If the West is 'tired' of the war in Ukraine, consider the reality of Ukrainians

As we approached the end of December, my mood, like that of most Ukrainians, was not at all Christmassy. The heroic achievement of 2022, when our lives hung in the balance and our defenders managed to repel the enemy, was replaced by the bloody routine of 2023.


A man is seen outside the house damaged by Russian shelling in the Odesa Region, southern Ukraine. Photo: by Nina Liashonok/Ukrinform/Sipa USA

What is war fatigue?

If the West is 'tired' of the war in Ukraine, consider the reality of Ukrainians

In 2023, Ukraine celebrated Christmas for the second time on Dec. 25, instead of Jan. 7, as it was before Russia’s invasion. My friends are divided into two camps. Some planned to celebrate Christmas in a new way, others do not want to change anything. However, this is far from the biggest problem in our lives. As we

A display of civilian vehicles destroyed in the war in Kyiv.

From Ukraine: Civilian cars and ancient farm machinery

[FIRST PERSON ]Ukraine’s history of making do pays off in wartime as farmers support the war

Ukraine’s agriculture is diverse and so is the equipment on Ukrainian farms. Near my town, a German-made NEXAT transformer unit is working in the fields and is one of few in the world. It’s a massive all-in-one machine that handles every step in crop production: spring cultivation, seeding, crop protection and harvesting. While this is the cutting edge, you’ll


A display of civilian vehicles destroyed in the war in Kyiv. Photo: Aleksandr Gusev/SOPA Images/Sipa USA via Reuters

Ukrainian farmers’ history of making do pays off in wartime

First person: over the past 20 months, hundreds of thousands of civillian vehicles have passed through the crucible of war

The technical arsenal of farmers who cultivate small acreages is extremely varied. They have small tillers to which trailers are attached, and tiny, sometimes homemade, tractors. Sometimes you can even see a small field being plowed with the help of horses. We still have horse-drawn carts, although this is rare. In my town, there is only one horse left. My friend keeps him at home as a pet. In his youth, my friend worked at a stable and retained his love for horses.

A service in the interior of the damaged church. Local farmers are helping in its restoration.

From Ukraine: Rebuilding in the rubble

Hryhoriy Tkachenko revives his farm after the occupation

One and a half years have passed since the invasion of Russian troops into Ukraine. The farm of Hryhoriy Tkachenko came under attack in the first days of the war. During the three weeks of occupation, the farm was so badly damaged that he still cannot restore everything. It was the near-total destruction of 20 years of work. He