WESTERN PRODUCER — Humanitarian and non-governmental aid organizations across Canada continued a massive appeal effort this week, seeking monetary donations to help refugees and residents from war-torn Ukraine.
In late February, the Canadian Red Cross launched the Ukraine Humanitarian Crisis Appeal, aimed at assisting individuals and families affected by ongoing conflict.
Monetary donations to the Red Cross will be used to fill immediate humanitarian needs, including the provision of food, water, shelter, clothing and sanitation.
Canadians wishing to make donations can contribute online at www.redcross.ca or by calling 800-418-1111.
Donations to the Red Cross will be matched on a dollar-for-dollar basis by the federal government, Global Affairs Canada announced Feb. 25.
Matching government contributions will be capped at $10 million and will apply to donations made by individual Canadian citizens between Feb. 24 and March 18.
“The generosity of Canadians when a crisis strikes is always remarkable, and their efforts in times of need make a difference,” Global Affairs Canada said in a news release.
Other Canadian aid organizations are also appealing for monetary donations.
Last week, the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, in co-ordination with other aid agencies, launched a similar appeal, hoping to raise funds and address the immediate needs of hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians who have fled their homes.
The foodgrains bank — through the Humanitarian Coalition — is urging Canadians to donate to Ukrainian emergency relief efforts online at www.together.ca or by calling 855-461-2154.
Aid agencies involved in the Humanitarian Coalition include Action Against Hunger, the foodgrains bank, Canadian Lutheran World Relief, CARE Canada, Doctors of the World, Humanity and Inclusion, Islamic Relief Canada, Oxfam Canada, Oxfam-Québec, Plan International Canada, Save the Children and World Vision Canada.
According to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), nearly 1.2 million Ukrainian refugees had left Ukraine as of March 4.
That number included nearly 650,000 displaced Ukrainians who sought refuge in neighbouring Poland during the first week of Russia’s invasion.
Estimates vary but it is believed the total number of refugees leaving Ukraine could easily reach four million people.
“Those people need food. They need water. They need sanitation. The governments (of neighbouring European countries) have been very welcoming but the resources are very, very stretched,” said Andy Harrington, executive director of the foodgrains bank.
“We’re mobilizing with our members … to do what we can to get essential supplies to them.”
Harrington said the Humanitarian Coalition’s Ukrainian appeal raised approximately $2.3 million within the first few days of being launched.
The foodgrains bank along with other coalition members are currently in talks with Global Affairs Canada asking the federal government to provide matching funds through an agreement similar to the one established with Red Cross Canada, he added.
Harrington said Canadians are living up to their reputation as compassionate and generous donors.
“The response has been fantastic from Canadians and I would expect nothing less,” he said.
“Every time there is a crisis, Canadians respond. They are very generous people.”
Canada’s strong historic ties to Ukraine have prompted a flood of contributions, he added.
Although Humanitarian Coalition members are currently focused on addressing the immediate needs of Ukrainian refugees at border locations, the conflict in Ukraine is likely to contribute to a larger humanitarian crisis that affects populations well beyond the country’s borders, Harrington said.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service, Ukraine was the world’s largest exporter of sunflower oil between 2017 and 2021.
During the same five-year period, it ranked as the world’s third largest exporter of canola, the fourth largest exporter of corn and barley, and the fifth largest global exporter of wheat.
Although it remains to be seen how much food will be produced in Ukraine this year, Harrington said the spring planting season is quickly approaching and the prospects of securing essential crop inputs, let alone planting a crop, seems unlikely.
Refugees who are fleeing the country are coming from urban and rural areas, he added.
“The refugees are coming from all areas that the Russian advances are happening in, so right across the country,” Harrington said.
Ukraine is an agricultural powerhouse but “it’s not a viable place to be farming at the level they were farming before,” he added.
He predicted far-reaching consequences, not only in terms of the economic impact on Ukraine but also in terms of domestic food supplies and global food security.
“There are real consequences in terms of the global food supply.”
Harrington thanked Canadian donors for their generosity and encouraged additional donations.
“There’s been an outpouring, but we believe (the crisis) has only just begun so we’re asking people to be generous in their donations.”
