The United Nations will provide over USD 100 million to combat rural poverty in eight developing countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East.
The Executive Board of UNs International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has decided to earmark the money “USD 63.5 million in loans and USD 59.2 million in grants” for Burundi, Cambodia, Comoros, Ethiopia, Kenya, Paraguay, Sierra Leone and Syria to improve the lives of the rural poor.
The grants also include USD 10 million for seven international centres conducting research in agriculture and providing training and technical assistance.
In Burundi, USD 14 million grant will fund a project to rebuild the central African nation’s livestock sector which was almost destroyed by 12 years of civil war.
By increasing access to technology, veterinary services and markets, this scheme will allow poor people in rural areas to improve the value of their products and improve the livestock industry. Farmers in the country will also benefit from training and research provided by new field schools.
A USD 9.5 million dollar grant will finance a plan, in Cambodia, to increase the access of 26,000 households to advanced crop and livestock technology.
In Syria, over USD 20 million will be provided in loans to meet the challenges posed by a growing population on the available natural resources.