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FAO needs $1.06 billion to boost local food production
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization intends to help 26 countries but need to raise funds to do this successfully.
The report by FAO appealed to donor agencies to renew their support in 2018 to the organization so as to enable it to assist the people to fight hunger and revive agriculture-based livelihoods.
The report indicated that the assistance would come through the provision of seeds, tools and other materials for crop farming while safeguarding livestock production through lifesaving veterinary care.
Others are organizing training on improved crop production and processing, land and water management as well as well as the provision of cash to families to enable them to have immediate access to food.
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The report also said that the humanitarian appeal would focus on assisting crisis-affected and vulnerable persons in the 26 countries. It said that the countries would benefit from the 2018 emergency livelihood support scheme of FAO.
The countries include Yemen, where 5.7 million people would be reached and others are the Democratic Republic of Congo and in South Sudan, where 2.8 million people and 3.9 million people respectively would be reached.
"The reality is that while the lives of millions of people were saved -- thanks to rapid humanitarian response in 2017, millions more remain on the very edge of starvation. Maintaining food production and rebuilding agriculture is fundamental to preventing loss of life from severe hunger and providing a pathway towards resilience in the midst of humanitarian crises."
"This is why FAO focuses on transforming vulnerability into resilience so that when something bad happens, families are able to cope and feed themselves. With conflict and climate-related shocks sending global hunger numbers marching back up after declining for decades, FAO is asking for 1.06 billion U.S. dollars to save lives and livelihoods and address acute hunger in 26 countries," the report said.
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Analysing the assistance given to some countries in 2017, the report said that FAO provided seeds, equipment, fertilizer and training which empowered over six million people in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen.
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