The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) donated USD 5.7 million to World Food Programme (WFP) for a project to support smallholder farmers in Sofala Province, central Mozambique.
The project will improve food security and livelihoods with a focus on climate resilience for smallholder farmers and will be implemented from this year in the districts of Chemba, Maringue and Caia in Sofala province and will benefit 36,000 smallholder farmers and their families until 2025.
The programme will work with the Ministry of Land and Environment, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the National Institute of Meteorology (INAM).
Mozambique is one of the most vulnerable countries to the impacts of climate change. Over the past three years, five tropical cyclones (Desmond, Idai, Kenneth, Chalane, Eloise and Guambe) have caused human and material damages mainly in central Mozambique.
H.E. Ambassador Sung Jun Yeo said that he expects the project is going to be successfully implemented and 36,000 smallholder farmers and their families will have the capacity to maintain a stable livelihood and secure food through the project. "We hope that the friendly relationship between the Government of Mozambique and that of the Republic of Korea is firmly established through various grant aids from Korean Government via KOICA," emphasized the Ambassador.
"This generous donation from the people of Korea through KOICA will help change the lives of Mozambicans most affected by climate change", said Antonella D'Aprile, WFP Mozambique Country Director. "By supporting smallholder farmers to become climate resilient, we are also protecting their livelihoods and food security of their families and communities. We thank KOICA on behalf of the people that we serve".
***
The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) was established as a governmental agency dedicated to providing grand aid programs of the Korean government in 1991. KOICA endeavors to combat poverty and support the sustainable socioeconomic growth of partner countries. By doing so, KOICA establishes and strengthen friendly ties with developing countries.
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize laureate. WFP is the world's largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.
