In Ukraine, 970 Hectares of Agricultural Land Cleared of Mines in February
In February 2026, within the framework of the state program for compensating the cost of demining agricultural land in Ukraine, 970 hectares were restored. Demining operators fully completed 9 contracts for clearing agricultural plots, for which they received 65.2 million UAH. The average cost of demining one hectare in February was 67.2 thousand UAH.
This is reported by AgroReview
Current Status and Scope of Land Demining
According to the Ministry of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture, work is currently ongoing under 37 contracts covering approximately 8 thousand hectares. At the same time, 82 contracts have already been completed, allowing for the return of 14.6 thousand hectares to economic use. The total cost of the completed works under the program exceeded 854.5 million UAH.
Additionally, in February, demining operators began clearing over 3.3 thousand hectares of agricultural land under 21 new contracts signed with the Humanitarian Demining Center. The demining services under these contracts are valued at 220.1 million UAH. The state program is financed as part of the implementation of the Ukraine Facility Plan, which receives financial support from the European Union.
Regulatory Changes and Increased Efficiency of Demining Activities
In February, the government adopted a resolution aimed at accelerating the return to the use of agricultural lands that are cultivated despite the risk of explosive remnants. According to the new rules, local authorities check the use of potentially contaminated plots for their intended purpose and pass this information to the Humanitarian Demining Center and the Mine Action Center. If such land is used by the owner or tenant, tax benefits for them are revoked. Based on the information received, a decision is made to conduct a non-technical survey to confirm or refute the fact of contamination of the area.
At the end of February, the Cabinet of Ministers updated the operational plan for implementing the National Mine Action Strategy until 2033. The changes include updating the responsible bodies in the sector, optimizing tasks, and assigning the Humanitarian Demining Center the responsibility for information measures to reduce the impact of explosive remnants on people. Among the key tasks of the Center is the implementation of a prioritization system for demining, taking into account the economic, social, and security importance of the territories.
On February 26, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine presented a guide titled “How to Find a Job and Build a Career in Mine Action?” — a practical tool for veterans considering professional opportunities in this sector. The document was prepared at the request of the Ministry of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture of Ukraine in collaboration with the NGO “Center for Employment of Free People” and the national platform Demine Ukraine. Financial support for the project was provided by the Government of Japan.