Germany supports mine action in Ukraine with new equipment delivery
September 2, 2024
The Cabinet of Ministers has increased the compensation amount for agricultural producers planning to demine agricultural land from 80% to 100%. Also, farmers who have a tax debt for land or a single tax debt, provided they are single tax group IV payers, can now participate in the program. And bidding for the procurement of agricultural land demining services must take place exclusively at auctions in the Prozorro system with the participation of at least two bidders. The relevant amendments to Resolution No. 284, drafted by the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine, were adopted at a Government meeting on August 23, 2024.
"We fully cover the cost of humanitarian demining of agricultural lands for those agricultural producers who are only planning to clear their plots. I understand that working under conditions of shelling and complicated logistics, it is difficult to find additional funds to return to use a few more hundred hectares of land that is currently standing idle due to mines. Therefore, the state covers the payment for such services so that farmers participating in the program can sow and harvest crops on cleared plots as early as next season," said First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine — Minister of Economy of Ukraine Yuliia Svyrydenko.
The corresponding resolution comes into force from the day of its publication. This will allow the Centre for Humanitarian Demining to soon announce the first tenders in the Prozorro system for the procurement of humanitarian demining services for those farmers who have applied and meet the program requirements. As of now, farmers have submitted a total of 135 applications for demining 3,897 plots with a total area of over 17,252 hectares.
"By adopting the resolution to increase the compensation value to 100%, we have created all the conditions for farmers to start demining those plots that are currently not cultivated because they may contain mines or other explosive items. 3 billion hryvnias have been budgeted for the compensation program, and we already have 51 registered mine action operators. And this means that we have someone to work and funds to pay for this work. Furthermore, by amending Resolution 76, we gave international operators the opportunity to reserve teams that work directly in the fields on demining from mobilization. We are doing everything to ensure our capability and efficiency in mine action grows," said Deputy Minister of Economy of Ukraine Ihor Bezkaravainyi.
Farmers whose lands are in de-occupied territories, where after conducting a non-technical survey, contamination or probable contamination with explosive ordnance is confirmed, can participate in the compensation program. The designated plots must strictly be located outside the 20-kilometer zone from the line of combat contact or the state border.
Verification of applications submitted by farmers through the State Agrarian Register is carried out by the Centre for Humanitarian Demining (hereinafter referred to as the Centre). It also announces auctions in the Prozorro system for the provision of demining services, and after determining the winning operator and the final cost of demining, transfers 100% of the amount to a special account opened by the farmer in one of the state banks participating in the program.
The mine action operator will receive the entire reserved amount after the completion of demining and confirmation of the completed works by the Centre.
As a reminder, the issue of humanitarian demining is coordinated by the First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine — Minister of Economy of Ukraine Yuliia Svyrydenko. The Ministry of Economy of Ukraine ensures the interaction of central executive authorities on mine action issues regarding humanitarian demining.
