Russia's invasion of Ukraine should be considered a "war on food", EU Farm Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski has said at a meeting in Prague, adding that food security is a "concern for us all".
Speaking at an informal council meeting in the Czech capital, Wojciechowski echoed the words of EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in her 'State of the Union' address last week, in which she described the Russian attack as "a war on our energy, on our economy, on our values and on our future".
He added that the conflict has shown “time and again, the importance of solidarity and co-operation", noting that facing up to the challenges of food security will require "EU and international cooperation, for a comprehensive and coordinated response", AgraFacts reported.
Global Food Shortages
Wojciechowski said that the EU has assisted the farmers of Ukraine where possible, improving their storage facilities to create extra space for this year's harvest, while also alleviating global food shortages through the development of export channels.
“The reopening of the Black Sea ports is also a cause for optimism since, according to the United Nations an additional 3MT of grain and other foodstuff carried by 136 cargo ships has left Ukraine since the beginning of August,” he said.
At the same time, he warned against complacency, adding that more efforts are needed to bolster Ukrainian food exports, both for the benefit of the company's economy, as well as global food supply – otherwise, food security was likely to remain an "issue of great concern" for months if not years.
Trade Flows
“Russia’s unjustified aggression continues to disrupt global trade flows and markets," he added, saying that the EU had sought to alleviate matters by “actively supporting countries that are highly dependent on food imports, providing emergency relief to improve food affordability for the most vulnerable", AgraFacts reported.
Commissioner Wojciechowski is due to to appear at a G20 meeting of agriculture ministers in Bali, Indonesia, later this month, to discuss global food security matters.
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