Ukraine develops national mine action standards aligned with international guidelines
October 11, 2024
In September, farmers received more than 305,000 hectares of demined land. This was announced by Yuliia Svyrydenko, First Deputy Prime Minister — Minister of Economy of Ukraine.
"Over 305,000 hectares of demined land returned to farmers in September alone — this is a record figure that demonstrates the enormous pace of humanitarian demining in Ukraine. Behind these numbers are thousands of farmers who can now safely work their land," said Yuliia Svyrydenko.
The cleared lands are located in the most contaminated regions of Ukraine. Mine action operators worked around the clock to ensure the maximum possible pace of clearance.
"We see a consistent increase in the pace of demining thanks to increased capacity — more operators, more machines, more specialists. The system we have built is working and delivering results at an unprecedented scale," noted the Minister.
Since the beginning of the year, the total area of demined agricultural land has amounted to hundreds of thousands of hectares. This is a significant contribution to food security, both for Ukraine and globally.
"Our strategic goal is clear — return 80% of contaminated lands to productive use within 10 years. The results of September confirm that this goal is achievable," emphasised Svyrydenko.
