From Ukraine to the U.S.A. - Antonina Broyaka
Life in Ukraine changed dramatically when Russia invaded on February 24, 2022. Millions of people have been displaced from their homes, and thousands have been killed. The country's infrastructure has been severely damaged, and the economy has been devastated. For Antonina Broyaka, it meant leaving her home with her children and moving to the United States so they would be safe.
After the invasion began, she and her husband, Volodymyr Lapshov, made the decision that she should leave the country with their children, 15-year-old Oleksandra (Sasha) and 9-year-old Maksym (Max). Broyaka and their children first moved to Poland. Lapshov could not leave with his family in case he was needed to fight with the military.
“Our friends in Poland were so kind, but I knew I needed to put as much distance as possible between my children and the Russians,” Broyaka said. “I am convinced the Russians will try to advance beyond the Ukrainian borders.” She hopes the war will end soon but she and her children plan to stay in Manhattan for the foreseeable future.
Broyaka had previously been at K-State as a Ukrainian Fulbright scholar so was familiar with the area and had friends in Manhattan.
“I had been to Kansas State University with the Fulbright Junior Faculty Development Program, so a lot of things are familiar to me here. I spent the 2004-2005 academic year in the Agricultural Economics Department. I had built professional connections, and I made many friends at K-State University, who support me and are helping me adjust,” she said.
“It is not easy to adjust when you move from one continent to another especially under such circumstances. But despite many differences there are a lot of similarities. Both Ukraine and Kansas are great agricultural producers of wheat, corn, sunflower and other crops. When you are in the countryside and looking over wheat fields in Kansas, it feels like I am in Ukraine.”
Before leaving her country, she served as dean of the faculty of Economics and Entrepreneurship at the Vinnytsia National Agrarian University in Vinnytsia, Ukraine. She is an expert on the Ukraine agricultural economy, which she has closely followed since Russia’s invasion. Since coming to Manhattan in March 2022, she has been giving seminars to students, faculty, and the public on the global impact of the invasion at K-State and U.S. Grains Council meetings.
“I try to explain how the Russian invasion has impacted global food production and created food insecurity,” she said. “Ukraine is a major exporter of wheat, corn, and sunflower oil, and the disruption of its exports has led to higher prices for these commodities. This has made it more difficult for people around the world to afford food, and it has raised concerns about global food security.”
Broyaka said it is important for people involved in all levels of agriculture to understand the crisis so they know what they can do to develop a clear plan and stabilize global food supplies. Africa, she said, is particularly at risk with food insecurity. The Russian strategy has been to close Ukraine ports and outlets needed to export commodities. Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to expand and one of his weapons in the war is controlling the food supply. That strategy should concern the entire global community.
“People around the world, need understand that impact of Russian invasion to Ukraine is global. It leads to a repatriation of the share of grain market players, the formation of new supply chains, and changes in the pricing mechanism. It leads to the creation of new political and economic world order and using food as a weapon,” Broyaka said.
Broyaka believes her country, which over the past 20 years has helped feed the world, will rebound following Russia’s invasion but adds it is going to take time.
“I am proud to be a part of K-State and I appreciate all of the support that I have received from colleagues here,” she said. “I believe combining our efforts in solving the economic problems that Ukrainian agriculture is facing will help minimize the negative impact of Russian military aggression on a world food supply.”
You can view some Broyaka's presentations/updates at https://agmanager.info/events.
