Farmers in Marawi City and outlying municipalities in the provinces of Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao received vegetable seeds and farming tools from the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the government of the Kingdom of Belgium.
The FAO said in a statement that fertilizer and broiler chicken production packages were also distributed to 4,949 farming families in Marawi, Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao.
The distribution of assistance was made possible by a P25-million ($500,000) contribution from Belgium through the FAO-Special Fund for Emergency and Rehabilitation Activities.
“The government of Belgium and its people hope that our contribution will help ensure that those affected by the Marawi crisis are able to recover as quickly as possible,” Belgium Ambassador to the Philippines Michael Goffin said.
Goffin, together with Representative in the Philippines, José Luis Fernandez, met with the government, non-governmental organizations and communities in Marawi and Iligan cities during a visit on March 19 and 20.
The FAO has been closely working with the Task Force Bangon Marawi, the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries-Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, the Department of Agriculture, Mindanao Development Authority, the Department of Agrarian Reform, provincial governments of Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao, and the City Government of Marawi in restoring agriculture-based livelihoods in Marawi and surrounding areas.
“We acknowledge that recovery and rehabilitation take some time, but the concerted efforts of the government, non-governmental organizations and communities are already making positive impacts to the people affected by the crisis. We must continue working together to sustain the gains we have achieved so far,” Fernandez said.
“FAO’s emergency and recovery response to the Marawi crisis focuses on rehabilitating the agriculture and fisheries sector, restoring the food supply chain in affected communities, and helping farmers reclaim their lost livelihoods so that they can begin rebuilding their lives,” he added.
Working closely with various partners and stakeholders, the FAO said it has also mapped out a short- to-medium-term strategic response plan to restore the food supply and agribusiness value chain in Marawi, and other affected municipalities and enable them to be better linked to regional markets.