EU has set up the Food Facility Fund to support its non-member countries for increasing agriculture production to lessen the impact of food crisis. It is providing the assistance through Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to the farmers in Darchula, Bajhang, Baitadi, Doti, Kailali, Sindhuli, Udaypur, Kalikot, Jumla and Dolpa districts.
Lal Mani Joshi, joint secretary at the Ministry of Finance (MoF) and Bui Thi Lan, FAO representative to Nepal, signed an agreement to this effect on Monday. Dr Alexander Spachis, head of the delegation of European Commission to Nepal, was also present on the occasion.
Under the assistance, over 200,000 poor farmers will get quality seeds of food grains, vegetables and pulses.
"The project´s overall objective is to enhance the food security of 200,944 farming households and mitigate the effects of soaring food prices through the provision of improved quality seeds of cereal crops, vegetables and pulses," states a press statement issued by EU.
The FAO, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, will implement the project that is expected to complete on June 30 next year.
Farmers of 109 VDCs in those districts will also get subsidy in chemical fertilizers besides training on increasing food productivity. Over 35,600 families of three districts in the mid-western region will be provided with vegetables and true potato seeds.
"This program is mainly focused on ensuring easy accessibility of farmers to improved seeds and fertilizers for boosting food production and productivity to deal with food crisis," Joshi said.
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