A top Spanish American chef has secured 62 generators to be used on dairy farms in Ukraine near the front lines that are struggling with power supplies.
Via his ‘Longer Tables Fund’, chef Jose Andres is supporting the international charity SaveUA Foundation, with 62 generators rated at 80kw and 100kw, each capable of powering a farm with 200 to 800 cows.
These will be delivered to a number of dairy farms milking a total of over 40,000 cows in regions of Ukraine most affected by the war and electricity blackouts.
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Russia has continued to target Ukraine’s energy network, which is having a huge detrimental impact on homes and businesses, particularly farms.
Founder of the SaveUA Foundation, Andrii Dykun said the generators are much more than just a source of electricity, as they are vital for the Ukrainian dairy farming industry to survive.
“Due to the damage to the energy infrastructure, power outages last from several hours to several days, threatening the food security of Ukraine,” he explained.
“For dairy farms, even one or two hours of outages are critical, as they result in a loss of at least 1L of daily milk yield, and recovery to the previous level of productivity takes months.
“These generators will power milking equipment and refrigeration systems, ensuring that farmers can continue their work, support their communities and feed their people even in the face of incredible challenges.
“This isn’t just about keeping the lights on, it’s about keeping Ukraine’s farms and economy going,” he said.
Dairy farms in Ukraine
During the summer heat wave in 2024, emergency power shutdowns lasted over 16 hours a day.
Dairy farms with no backup systems had huge problems battling heat stress in their cows resulting in 20% to 40% drops in milk yield.
The farms that will be provided with generators collectively manage approximately 40,000 cows, and almost 1.5 million Ukrainians consume dairy products made from the raw milk they supply every year.
Thanks to this humanitarian support with generators, they will have additional support to maintain milk production and the health of their cows.
Chef Jose Andres said: “It’s an honour to stand shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine’s dairy farmers and support the vital work of SaveUA.
“I am inspired by the bravery and solidarity of these farmers, and I am proud that the purchase of generators for war-affected dairy farms will help Ukraine continue to feed its people.
“Over these last three years, we’ve learned so much about resilience, about innovation, about community, and about the power of food to inspire hope.
“I know this is only a first step on the road to rebuilding Ukraine’s food production capabilities that the world depends on, but I hope it will bring immediate relief and stability to those who feed their communities.”
Jose has spent over 100 days on the ground in Ukraine since the start of the invasion, leading his team from World Central Kitchen that have provided over 270 million meals to Ukrainians.
