UN welcomes NZ contribution to Afghanistan

KABUL (Pajhwok): The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has welcomed New Zealand’s contribution of $2 million to Afghanistan.

In a statement, FAO said New Zealand’s contribution would fund a new project to provide humanitarian assistance in the form of agricultural inputs and cash aid to 94,500 vulnerable farmers.

Families in Kunduz, Nangarhar, Parwan and Maidan Wardak provinces would benefit from the assistance, the statement added.

“We welcome New Zealand’s first-ever contribution to FAO emergency and resilience programme at this critical point in time for Afghanistan,” said Richard Trenchard, FAO representative in Afghanistan.

He added farmers need quality seeds in hand to plant in early spring, and secure their harvest this year.

The assistance will be used to provide growers with a chance to plant wheat in low-lying parts of the country, or maize and high-protein legumes, like mung bean and chickpea.

pr/mud

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