Schoolhouse Model United Nations 2023

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Agenda - Discussing the impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on availability of food in the country

Navya M - Chairperson’s Letter

Greetings delegates!

It is with great pride that I would like to welcome you to the first ever iteration of the SchoolHouse Model United Nations Conference. This conference is the result of many months of tireless preparation and I hope that you as delegates, will utilise this opportunity to its fullest extent.

My journey with Model UN is something that has definitely proven to be transformative for me, from the day that I attended my first MUN in 7th grade to participating and winning awards at international MUNs like Harvard MUN. I am the Model UN Secretary General at my school and captain of my school’s travelling team. I have won awards at 3 consecutive Harvard MUNs and numerous awards at the local and national level. This is my third time organising a conference and I simply cannot wait for the new learning experiences that it will bring.

I will be the co-chairperson of the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO). Our agenda is ‘Discussing the impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on availability of food in the country’. This is truly a very dynamic agenda and will give you the chance to delve deep into the issue, formulate plausible solutions and also understand the key tenets of food security. The contents of this background guide don’t reflect the viewpoints of the chairpersons, they are only a starting point for your research.

Always remember, Model UN is an activity that can teach you far more than just public speaking; it helps you hone skills such as- writing, academic research, interpersonal skills, basics of policy making etc. If at any point of your journey, you need help or guidance, feel free to send me a message on slack or schoolhouse.

Yours truly,

Navya M

Ishani B - Chairperson's Letter

Hello Delegates,

Welcome to the first ever Schoolhouse Model UN Conference! My name is Ishani, and I could not be more glad to have you guys in the The Food and Agricultural Organization.

I have been doing Model UN for the past three years and this will be my second time organising a conference and my first time officially chairing. Typically, I enjoy participating in crisis committees- aspects of which you will see today. However, whenever I am in GA or specialised I enjoy debating current day crises, such as the one you guys will face today. From my three years in MUN, I can confidently say some of my best memories and friends have been made through this club, and hope you guys will be able to say the same by the end of today.

Outside of MUN, I am a freshman at my local high school STEM programme, where I pursue the typical common core curriculum but with a focus on the AP sciences, research, and design. Here on Schoolhouse, I am the co-lead of the blog team, and also run the Schoolhouse book club on behalf of the community engagement team. If any of you ever need to reach out, feel free to message me at Ishani B on slack.

Best of luck,

Ishani

Committee History and Powers

The Food and Agricultural Organization was founded in 1945 in order to lead efforts between the UN, NGOs, member nations, and private sectors to improve agricultural conditions. Their main aims are reducing food insecurity, increasing the sustainability and cost-effectiveness of agriculture, and improving agricultural resilience to natural disasters and crises. They were initially created following the results of World War II to bolster the agricultural industry, and support economic development. In 1974, amidst a worldwide famine they adopted the Universal Declaration on the Eradication of Hunger and Malnutrition (1974) stating, “every man, woman and child has the inalienable right to be free from hunger and malnutrition in order to develop fully and maintain their physical and mental faculties.” In the 1996 World Food Summit, they passed the Rome Declaration on World Food Security and the World Food Summit Plan of Action, hoping to reduce poverty, promote nutrition, and sustainability.

The FAO is an Economic and Social council of the United Nations, and is permitted to make suggestions to member states or international organisations related to food and agriculture. Additionally, there are sub councils of the FAO related to a specific region of the globe, such as Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Latin America. The FAO receives funding majorly from member states, and assessed contributions. Additionally, specific initiatives can also receive funding from international monetary funds and the private sector.

History of the Russia- Ukraine Conflict

The Russia Ukraine War began on 24 February, 2022. However, this was the climax of a long running conflict that had its roots in the dissolution of the Soviet Union but was catalysed in 2014, with the Russian invasion of Crimea.The role of Ukraine in international politics has been very important for many decades now, but perhaps, has been overlooked by numerous analysts and experts in their analysis of world order, until the recent Russia-Ukraine Conflict. Ukraine is bordered by Russia to the east, Belarus to the north, Hungary, Slovakia and Poland to the west. From these countries, Hungary, Slovakia and Poland are NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) countries. For Russia, Ukraine stands between them and further NATO expansion towards the east. We shall be going into details of all these factors.

Importance of Ukraine in cold war times

During the cold war (1947-1991), Ukraine was a part of the USSR. It was the second most populated of the 15 soviet republics, behind Russia itself. It was the base fo a large portion of Russia’s military, agriculture and defences. It had the black sea fleet and even some of the nuclear arsenal. Ukrainian independence in 1991 was a big blow for Russia because its dependence on Ukraine in many areas.

Post Ukrainian Independence

After Ukrainian independence from the USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) on 24 August, 1991, Ukraine sought to create an identity for itself in the international sphere by aligning more closely with the western bloc; all while battling deep internal divisions.

Russia, however, has claimed that NATO promised not to expand to the east.

Russia’s interest areas in Ukraine:

1. On 24 February, 2022, the Russian President, Vladimir Putin claimed in an address to the Russian people that the Russian special operation aimed to “demilitarise and denazify Ukraine”1.

2. It has been widely speculated and accepted that the Russian special operation was because of increasing NATO influence in Ukraine and to maintain Ukraine’s neutral status. (See Figure 1) Even in the weeks preceding the 2008 NATO Summit, Russia warned western diplomats that inducting Ukraine into NATO would be seen as an act of hostility against Russia. Ukraine remained a nonmember of NATO, but kept growing its ties with the organisation. It held annual military exercises with it and became one of the six enhanced opportunity partners of NATO (the closest non member states)

3. Russian diaspora- According to a 2001 census, approximately 8 million Russian were residing in Ukraine. Russia used this as a justification for their actions in Crimea and Donbas, 2004.

4. Political influence- Russia wants to maintain its political influence in Ukraine. This suffered a significant setback in 2004, after Russia’s preferred candidate for Ukraine’s President, Viktor Yanukovych lost to a reformist competitor. Yanukovych eventually did become the president in 2010. Russia faced a similar situation in Georgia in 2003.

5. Energy- Russia heavily relied on Ukraine for its gas pipelines for Russian exports to Central and Eastern Europe. Russia annually paid huge sums to Kyiv as transit fee. This was one of the major reasons for Russian interest in Ukraine.

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Figure 1: NATO’s expanding membership (Source: Council on Foreign Relations)

Statement of the Problem and Causes to Consider

Prior to the War, international food prices had reached an all time high due to the pandemic. The War in Ukraine has sent the FAO Food Price Index into a new historical record high, being 33.6 percent from its level a year earlier. With 50 nations depending on Russia and Ukraine for agriculture, and the two nations’ wheat export accounting for 30% of the global market, the conflict is projected to inspire food insecurity worldwide and domestically. The following are the main causes to consider:

Black Sea Port

As of now, Russian ships and mines block the Black Sea ports, which used to export approximately six million tons of agri-commodities to developing nations. Due to current events, they are only at 15-20% exporting capacity, using rail, rivers, and trucks. Additionally, Russian Exports have become more difficult to trade due to the economic sanctions imposed because of the war. Ukraine’s cereal stock exports are estimated to be 20-30% less this coming year. According to Brookings, “To put this into perspective, consider that 1 ton of cereals may feed a family of six for a full year. So, this missing number of cereals would mean we would have less food for more than 300 million people.”

Farms

As a part of its battle strategy, Russia has severely damaged the Ukrainian agricultural industry and stolen grain. Prior to the war, Ukraine majorly exported wheat, corn, barley, and sunflower oil, and had 400 million people relying on such exports. The Agromol Dairy farm in Ukraine has suffered catastrophic damage with 20 larger livestock or poultry sheds. Additionally, there have been craters and damage found in the Agricultural Fields in Ozera, Ukraine which contribute greatly to domesting food sources. This would be in direct defiance of the Geneva Convention which outlawed food as a weapon of war. Delegates would be encouraged to explore the legislation surrounding this.

Energy

Russia is one of the world's leading suppliers of energy. Agriculture is often energy heavy with the consumption of gas, electricity, fertilisers, pesticides and lubricants. Due to the current conflict, and the various sanctions that have been placed on Russia, the production price of these fertilisers and energy sources have been rising. This is projected to increase the overall agricultural production price, and lead to further inflation. The FAO suggests keeping food and fertiliser trade open in both nations to have them meet domestic and international needs.

Questions to Consider

1. What past action has the UN taken to combat this issue in the past?

2. Are these sanctions on Russia the best possible solution?

3. How can we ensure that Russia’s energy production can be compensated for?

4. How can delegates in committee improve the legislation surrounding food as a weapon of war?

5. How has your nation’s food supply been impacted by the war?

6. How can the United Nations take steps to improve global food security?

7. How can the UN make sure that future conflicts don’t hamper the essential food supply chain?

8. What are some ways in which critical food supplies can be transported to areas which are involved in ongoing conflict?

9. How to ensure that refugee camps and safe shelters get food supply?

Helpful Links:

Please keep in mind that this background guide is only the starting point of your research. For success in MUN, pls also do independent research. We have carefully compiled a list of links to help you start your journey of independent exploration:

1. UN FAO’s official note on food security in Ukraine:

Note on the impact of the war on food security in Ukraine - 20 July 2022⁠

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2. Agro journal research article on Food security in Ukraine:

Problems and prospects of food security in Ukraine⁠

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3. World Bank blogs:

Ensuring food security in in Europe and Central Asia, now and future Ensuring food security in Europe and Central Asia, now and in the future⁠

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4. Centre for Strategic and International Studies article on Food Security in Ukraine: The Russia-Ukraine War and Global Food Security:

A Seven-Week Assessment, and the Way Forward for Policymakers⁠

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5. Impacts of the Russia-Ukraine War on Global Food Security:

Towards More Sustainable and Resilient Food Systems? - PMC⁠

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How to Avert a Food Crisis Caused by Conflict in Ukraine - CGIAR⁠

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The Russia-Ukraine Crisis: Implications for Global and Regional Food Security and Potential Policy Responses | IFPRI⁠

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8. 2022 FAO Annual Report-

The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2022 | FAO⁠

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Although reading the above documents and articles isn’t mandatory, it is highly recommended. With that, we conclude this background guide and look forward to an excellent Model United Nations Conference.

Works Cited

Bushberg, Jerrold T., et al. “Ukraine: Conflict at the Crossroads of Europe and Russia.” Council on Foreign Relations, http://cfr.org/backgrounder/ukraine-conflict-crossroads-europe-and-russia. Accessed 6 February 2023.

“CL 170/6 - Impact of the Ukraine-Russia conflict on global food security and related matters under the mandate of the Food and A.” Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 17 June 2022, https://www.fao.org/3/nj164en/nj164en.pdf. Accessed 6 February 2023.

“Ukraine : the history behind Russia's claim that Nato promised not to expand to the east - Strathprints.” Strathprints, 15 February 2022, https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/79604/. Accessed 6 February 2023.

Welsh, Caitlin, et al. “Spotlight on Damage to Ukraine's Farms amid the Russia-Ukraine War.” Center for Strategic and International Studies, 9 June 2022, https://www.csis.org/analysis/spotlight-damage-ukraines-farms-amid-russia-ukraine-war. Accessed 6 February 2023.

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