Brazil supports 5 African countries with N371 million

The Brazilian government has promised to provide the sum of $2, 375, 000 about N371.09 million to support farming in five African countries.

These countries as revealed in a press statement made available to NaijaAgroNet are Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, Niger and Senegal.

The fund according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is in accordance with the agreement signed by the government of Brazil with FAO and the World Food Programme (WFP) for a new local food purchase programme to benefit farmers and vulnerable populations in the listed African countries.

Based on the agreement, FAO said, it would receive $1.55million, about N242.2 million to look after the production side of the new project, making provisions for seeds and fertilizer, also increasing the capacity of small-scale farmers and boosting farmers' association's growth.

FAO is also to work towards mobilizing Brazilian expertise in support of local purchase initiatives as the Brazilian government is providing her expertise drawn from its the Food Purchase Programme (PAA) of Brazil.

WFP will be held responsible for purchasing and delivering the food to schools and vulnerable groups as well as receiving $800,000 about N125 million as stated in the agreement.

Purchase for Progress (P4P), NaijaAgroNet gathered is a pilot project of the World Food Programme which has already made local purchases of food and also looking for ways to buy more directly from small-scale farmers.

One of the motives for the Agreement is to strengthen local food markets and help improve food security in order to prevent future food insecurity.

The programme also seeks to supplement the diets of hungry people.

 'Yinka Awosanya/LS

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