ITALY has donated more than US$5 million towards programs designed to strengthen Myanmar’s food security, to be carried out by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation.

At a signing ceremony at the Chatrium Hotel on May 23, FAO representative Dr Shin Imai said the two to three year programs would cover sustainable small-scale fisheries and aquaculture in coastal mangrove ecosystems, support to special rice production, and support to the immediate rehabilitation of farming, coastal fisheries and aquaculture livelihoods in Nargis-affected areas in Myanmar.

Dr Imai added: “In the cyclone-affected townships of Bogale, Hinthada, Labutta and Pyapon in the Ayeyarwady Division, the drought-affected areas of Thazi and Yemethin in Mandalay Division, and in Kalaw and Taunggyi in the southern Shan state, the support to special rice production project will improve land use practices and increase food production while reducing the production cost of crops.”

The fisheries and aquaculture programs in Bogale and Pyapon townships, Ayeyarwady Division, would help improve the livelihood of local people, he said.

“This project will help over 28,000 landless, marginal and small-scale farmers and fishers adopt improved production technologies and make sustainable improvements in household food production, nutritional status and income-generating opportunities, and the livelihoods of over 32,000 households will be improved,” he said.

This is in addition to the more than 112,000 households that FAO assisted between June 2008 and May 2009 as part of its $17 million assistance project.

“These projects will also cover vitally important activities like creating employment and generating incomes for small farmers through crops and value-adding activities, including increased availability of rice seeds locally, improved community-based water management, and reviving a healthy and productive ecosystem for forest and fishery sectors,” said Major General Htay Oo, Minister for Agriculture and Irrigation.

“Italy decided to give another contribution to FAO in order to assure the implementation of projects for the early recovery and rehabilitation phases, not only in the delta, but also in other areas of the country,” said Dr Giuseppe Cinti, Italy’s ambassador to Myanmar.

“We will conserve the environment while increasing food production,” U Tin Htut Oo, the director general of the Department of Agriculture Planning under the ministry, told The Myanmar Times.

“We will conserve mangroves in the delta without destroying the fisheries sector. This project aims to increase both fish and paddy and other crops. The projects will include the delta, the dry zone and the upland environment, such as Shan State.”

As the number of malnourished people in the world approaches 1 billion, U Tin Htut Oo added: “Myanmar could become a major food supplier meeting the needs of other countries.”

“Myanmar’s future contribution to world food security could be quite important,” said Dr. Shin Imai. “Therefore, we will have to improve productivity in the main staple foods.”

He said the Italian government contribution, along with the assistance of the UN and FAO, would help achieve this goal.

In the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis, Italy contributed nearly $6 million to FAO, including 500,000 euros for emergency operations.