The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) will provide seeds and other resources to Pinar del Rio province, which was strongly hit by Hurricane Ian on September 27, causing severe damage to housing, electric networks, water, and communications, economic and social facilities and crops, particularly tobacco.
FAO’s contribution in seeds will be used to replant Pinar del Rio’s fields, which were affected by the hurricane, Marcelo Resende, representative of that international organization in Cuba, said during a tour of the province, the Cuban News Agency reported.
Resende explained the assistance by the United Nations System in the face of this emergency, which will include an urgent contribution of 500,000 dollars to invest in seeds and restore cultivation houses, especially short-cycle crops.
After analyzing the situation in situ, the FAO official concluded that seeds, the purchase of roofs for animal breeding sheds, houses, and warehouses, as well as water and food tanks, are among the fundamental demands.
Resende stressed that international cooperation through the collaboration agencies and the diplomatic missions is in contact with Cuban authorities to provide assistance to face Ian’s impact.
The FAO representative stated that the aid consists of specific medium- and long-term projects in Pinar del Rio and Isla de la Juventud special municipality according to their current potentialities.
The World Food Program has delivered tents, tarpaulins, lights, mobile warehouses for food protection and kitchen kits, and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) is providing 478 hygiene kits for vulnerable people.
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