FAO said that harvest prospects have deteriorated in agricultural areas worst hit by the tsunami and heavy rains, because parents and relatives have been lost, livelihood assets have been destroyed, and sources of income no longer exist.

FAO Director-General Dr. Jacques Diouf met last Friday with ambassadors from affected countries and donors to evaluate the response to the emergency rehabilitation of fisheries and agriculture in affected countries.

Donors such as Belgium, the European Commission, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom have already supported or expressed interest in FAO's initial appeal for 26 million dollars, FAO said.

It is estimated that two million people in 12 countries in the disaster region are in need of food assistance, FAO said. However, in spite of local losses, overall food availability in the region affected should be adequate to cover food needs.

"Since relatively large rice supplies are available in the region, it is recommended that local purchases be made whenever possible in order to meet food aid requirements in the different affected countries, so as to avoid domestic food markets disturbances," said Henri Josser and, Chief of the Global Information and Early Warning Service.

However, given the damage to infrastructure, logistical difficulties will hamper the distribution of food to the affected population.

According to FAO, fisheries and agriculture in coastal areas have been severely hit by the tsunami waves.

"Relief efforts must ensure that local farmers and fisher folk hit by the tsunamis receive all the assistance needed to cover their food needs and to restart farming and fishing as soon as possible. With international assistance, agriculture and fisheries should have the potential to recover from this catastrophe," FAO said.