From now on, farmers will receive 100% compensation for demining agricultural areas. 3 million hryvnias were allocated for this in the state budget.
The Ministry of Economy of Ukraine adopted the relevant changes to Resolution No. 284 at a government meeting on August 23, 2024. It enters into force from the day of its publication.
Farmers who have land tax debt or single tax debt if they are group IV single tax payers will also be able to join the program.
In addition, international operators will be able to book groups that work in the fields directly above demining. 51 mine action operators have already registered in Ukraine.
The sites must be inspected for mines and located outside a 20-kilometer zone from the front line or state border. Compliance with the requirements will be checked by the Center for Humanitarian Demining. He will also announce a tender for the purchase of demining services in the “Prozorro” system — at least two participants must participate. After determining the winning operator and the final cost of demining, the Center will transfer 100% of the amount to the farmerʼs special account. The mine action operator will receive the entire reserved amount after completing demining and confirming the work done.
So far, farmers have sent 135 applications for the demining of 3 897 plots — their total area is more than 17 252 hectares.
Demining of Ukraine
According to estimates of the UN Development Program in 2023, demining of the territory of Ukraine will cost $35.7 million. According to Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, almost 174 000 square kilometers of Ukraine are littered with explosive objects, and the countryʼs mined fertile lands could feed 80 million people. In the period from 2022 to 2027, the sum of the obligations of Ukraineʼs partner countries exceeds $850 million — this is money allocated for projects in the field of humanitarian demining.
In total, 30% of the territory of Ukraine is contaminated by Russian mines. Earlier, the press officer of the State Emergency Service Oleksandr Khorunzhyi said that it would take up to 10 years to demine the entire territory of Ukraine — these are the approximate calculations of sappers.
In June of this year, the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine informed that Ukraine would create the first state register of territories contaminated or likely to be contaminated by explosive objects.