December 18, 2006

Philippines seeks UN help to rebuild typhoon-devastated farms

The Philippine Department of Agriculture (DA) is seeking to tap the P5.5-billion (US$111.4 million) Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (ACEF) to finance rehabilitation efforts for farmers and fishermen devastated by super-typhoons in recent months, reports the Business Mirror Daily.
           

Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap also said the government has asked the help of the United Nations¡¯ Food and Agriculture Organisation (UN-FAO) for funds to help the affected farmers and fishermen.
           

The DA disclosed that FAO has pledged US$100,000 as emergency assistance to the Bicol region which will be used to provide vegetable seeds, fertilizers, tools, chicken and fingerlings.
           

Yap also disclosed that another US$5-million FAO programme is being drawn up with the help of the DA for implementation in the typhoon-hit regions.
           

The DA is set to submit a "work and financial program' for areas affected by the typhoons to the UN Development Programme (UNDP), through its resident representative to the Philippines, Nileema Noble, who said the agency would globally circulate a "flash appeal" within the UN network to mobilise funds for ongoing rehabilitation efforts and long-term development assistance to calamity-hit provinces.
           

The DA said these funds are crucial after estimating that the typhoons, including supertyphoons Milenyo and Reming and Typhoon Seniang, caused more than P3billion (US$60.77) in damage in the farm sector.
           

The Bicol region sustained the most damage with P1.6 billion (US$32.41 million), followed by the Mimaropa provinces of Marinduque, Mindoro and Palawan with P450 million (US$9.11 million) and Eastern Visayas region (US$6.07 million).