Ukraine Clears 1,340 Hectares of Land and Employs 40 Veterans in January

Demining Agricultural Land in Ukraine

According to Мін. Економіки: In January 2023, Ukraine demined 1,340 hectares of agricultural land under a state program that compensates for clearance costs. According to official data, 12 contracts were fulfilled, with total payments reaching 76.4 million Ukrainian hryvnias (UAH). The average cost of demining one hectare was 57.1 thousand UAH.

Furthermore, under 8 other contracts, clearance work has begun on over 3.5 thousand hectares, while operations continue under 25 contracts covering approximately 5.7 thousand hectares. To date, 73 contracts have been completed, returning a total of 13.63 thousand hectares of land to safe use.

Investing in People and Safety

Alongside the demining efforts, 40 veterans and women from military families completed training in non-technical survey and mine risk education, securing formal employment in the public sector. This initiative represents a crucial investment in human capital, which is a vital component of humanitarian action.

Additionally, for the first time, the digital platform GRIT was used in formulating the Humanitarian Demining Plan for 2026. This plan includes 5,312 hectares of agricultural land, highlighting the state's commitment to improving safety across the country. The ongoing conflict has left vast areas contaminated with explosive hazards, making these efforts critical for recovery.

The demining of agricultural land is a key part of restoring Ukraine's farming sector, which has been severely impacted by the war. By refining technologies and integrating veterans into the clearance process, the program not only reduces risks for civilians but also aids the social reintegration of service members. The GRIT digital platform, now employed for planning humanitarian demining, offers a pathway to more efficient resource management and progress monitoring in this essential field.