With new funding of 900,000 Euros from the Spanish International
Cooperation Agency (AECID by its Spanish acronym), IOM Angola will
provide immediate assistance to improve food security and
nutritional standards to vulnerable communities impacted by large
numbers of returnees and natural disasters.

The project will provide assistance to some 1,015 families (some
8120 persons) suffering from food insecurity in communities in
Huambo province, through the re-establishment of livelihoods, the
provision of agricultural technical support, employment and
income-generation opportunities, rehabilitation of water pumps and
irrigation infrastructure, as well as to mitigate conflicts and
competition for limited resources between returnees and local
populations.

The main beneficiaries of the project will be the most
vulnerable persons living in the municipalities of Mungo, Ekunha,
Caala and Bailundo, in Huambo province, including returning
refugees, ex-combatants and members of host communities.

"One of the main goals of the project is to stabilize
rural-urban migration outflows.  Many people move to urban
areas in search of work and food, but in fact most of the times
they are worse off," explains Katharina Schnöring, IOM Chief
of Mission in Angola.

"The project was discussed and was well received by the
beneficiaries who showed a great interest in the adoption of
innovative cultivation, irrigation and processing techniques," adds
Schnöring. 

This segment of the population has limited access to arable land
and has reported small crop yields.  The new IOM project will
provide technical support to improve their farming techniques, and
will create community-based seed banks in each participating
village.

This is the fourth IOM project in Angola funded by AEICD. 
IOM Angola is also implementing two other projects under the
Spanish MDG-Fund project.

For more information, please contact:

Katharina Schnöring

IOM Angola

Tel: +244 222 311 273

E-mail: "mailto:kschnoring@iom.int">kschnoring@iom.int