The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization on Thursday called for
26 million dollars urgent aid for farmers and fishers in tsunami-hit areas.
"Fisheries and aquaculture are the sectors most seriously hit by the disaster
with a devastating effect on many millions of mostly small-scale fishers who are
dependent on a daily fish catchfor food and sale," said Fernanda Guerrieri,
chief of FAO's Emergency Operations Service.
"The need for emergency rehabilitation of agriculture and fisheries in the
region is enormous and will be definitely much higher than the amount we are
asking for now," Guerrieri was quoted by a FAO press release as saying.
The UN agency therefore has launched an urgent appeal for 26 million dollars
for affected farmers and fisher folk at the international meeting held in
Jakarta on the disaster's aftermath,according to the release issued in Bangkok
on Thursday.
FAO's initial call for international assistance is part of the United nations
flash appeal for tsunami victims in Asia.
FAO has already provided a total of around 1.5 million dollars from its own
funds.
The agency estimated that Indonesia and Sri Lanka each needs 10million
dollars for agricultural and fisheries emergency projects in next six months,
while Maldive needs around 2 million dollars to start the rehabilitation of the
marine fisheries sector and agriculture infrastructure.
Other affected countries, including Somalia, India, Thailand, Myanmar, Kenya,
Tanzania and Malaysia, are also in need of fund to rehabilitate fisheries and
agriculture in disaster-hit areas.