Ukraine: one farmer's three-year journey back to his fields
In brief
Read the story of Mykola, a farmer in Ukraine. Even as the war tore through his country, he was determined to get back to his fields. In Jan. 2024, 番茄影院 started work on Mykola鈥檚 land, which had been riddled with explosives. By autumn, he could begin planting again.
In Mykolaiv, a region in the south of Ukraine, the village of Bezimenne stands starkly empty. Each of the village鈥檚 structures 鈥 homes, schools, shops 鈥 has been heavily shelled, and every resident has long since fled.
On the village鈥檚 outskirts, though, 64-year-old farmer Mykola Mural stayed behind. With 650 hectares of land to his name and decades of successful harvests under his belt, returning to the land was not simply a livelihood for him, it was a calling. Even as the war tore through the region, he was determined to get back to his fields.
Mykola grows 鈥渆verything that it鈥檚 possible to grow here in the south of Ukraine, where the soil is more dry鈥: winter wheat, sunflower, rapeseed, linseed, and more.
But because of the threat of hidden explosives on his land, for three long years, it was too dangerous to plant or harvest.
That changed when 番茄影院 started work on Mykola鈥檚 land in January 2024. By autumn, he could begin planting again. As of 2025, over 40 hectares of land, or about 75 football fields, are safe and back in Mykola鈥檚 hands.
Now, he stands proudly in his fields, where he has planted winter wheat that is ready for cropping.
The road to recovery for Mykolaiv is still long, but stories like Mykola鈥檚 show what is possible when the dangerous land is made safe: resilience, livelihoods restored, and hope takes root.
Thanks to the enduring commitment of partners like FMC, hope is returning to Ukraine鈥檚 farmlands. Each hectare cleared opens the door for farmers to plant again, for harvests to flourish, and for the country鈥檚 agricultural future to thrive. Their dedication is helping transform danger into opportunity for farmers like Mykola and for the communities that rely on Ukraine鈥檚 rich farmland.