The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has delivered
vegetable seeds and farm tools to two new permanent shelter sites
built by IOM and the US Agency for International Development
(USAID) for families made homeless by Typhoon Reming in November
2006.

The project, in collaboration with the Spanish government and
the Philippine Department of Agriculture, delivered 150 packs of
vegetable seeds and farm tools including 30 shovels, 15 rakes, 15
hoes and 75 trowels to the resettlement communities of
Arandurugan-Kenney Village in Mauraro, Guinobatan, and Bungkaras
Village in Tagaytay, Camalig.

The tools will be kept by the Homeowners' Association in each
settlement and will be freely available for use by any of the
nearly 1,700 families living in the two locations.

FAO representative Jaime Montesur also promised that his
organization will provide fruit-bearing seedlings to be planted
around the perimeter of each site and will sponsor a training
programme on urban gardening for residents.

IOM and USAID, which are contributing some 700 of the 1,700
homes in the two settlements, have supported the Philippine
Government's sustainable recovery programme for survivors in Albay
and Camarines Sur provinces since the typhoon.

For more information, please contact:

Mark Maulit

IOM Legaspi

Tel: +63.9215763047

E-mail: "mailto:mmaulit@iom.int" target="_blank" title=
"">mmaulit@iom.int