Tuesday, 10 February 2009

Donors provide 7.75 mln USD to Cambodia?s agriculture

MCOT English News

PHNOM PENH, Feb 10 (VNA) – The European Union (EU) and the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) have announced a combined assistance of 7.75 million USD to back up the rural economy in Cambodia this year.

Cambodian Secretary of State for Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery Chan Tong Yves on Feb. 7 said his ministry has received a non-refundable aid of 2.25 million USD from FAO.

The fund was aimed at promoting the agricultural production for food security ensurance and increasing rice output for exports, he added.

Meanwhile, Rafael Dochao Moreno, EU representative in Cambodia, announced on Feb. 6 that the EU will provide 5.5 million USD to Cambodia to help develop economic activities at local levels in order to speed up the poverty reduction and hunger elimination programme.

The aid will be focused on community development, health and education projects.

The rate of poverty-stricken households in Cambodia remains high, at 31 percent and donors believe that boosting farm produce exports will be one of the solutions to bring the rate down.

In recent years, Cambodia’s farm produce exports have experienced stable growth. In 2008, it exported 3 million tonnes of rice, a rise of 0.8 million tonnes as compared to 2007. (VNA)

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