Friday, May 07, 2010

Australia increases support for food and scholarships in Cambodia

May 6, 2010
Source: AusAid

At a meeting today Australia announced its largest ever package of food aid.

The package was announced during a meeting between the Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for the Interior, His Excellency Mr Sar Kheng and Parliamentary Secretary for International Development Assistance Bob McMullan,The package will help address persistent food shortages among Cambodia’s poorest people.

“To help around 800,000 Cambodians living in hunger, including 578,000 children, the Australian Government is providing the World Food Programme with $6 million in 2009-10 to purchase and distribute more than 8600 metric tonnes of rice,” Mr McMullan said.

“Cambodia has one of the highest malnutrition rates in Asia. An estimated 2.8 million people lack access to adequate food and 39.5 per cent of children suffer from chronic malnutrition.

“On top of this, in 2009 the dual impact of the economic recession and Typhoon Ketsana placed even more Cambodians at risk of poverty and hunger. The typhoon affected 10 of Cambodia’s 24 provinces, damaging or destroying more than 107,000 hectares of rice crop just before harvest,” Mr McMullan said.

This assistance will also include new food-for-work programs, ensuring food for more than 145,000 farmers and labourers and their families during the pre-harvest season, as well as a home-based care program for up to 77,000 Cambodians affected by HIV/AIDS.

“To help Cambodia address its critical human resource needs Australia will also double the number of scholarships to Cambodia over the next four years, bringing the total number from 25 in 2010 to 50 by 2013-14,” Mr McMullan said.

“Through the Australian Development Scholarships program we will help Cambodia build the capacity of its institutions devastated by years of conflict.”

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

thank you australia for your good contribution to cambodia in education and hunger assistance. i hope cambodia and australia good relationship will last for eternity like that of china and cambodia. i love australia. australia is one of the best countries on the planet for my country cambodia. i also like china, america, japan and korea for their tireless contribution to cambodia development. you all are always helped to make a real difference in cambodia. god bless cambodia and australia and the rest of countries mentioned above.

Anonymous said...

I keep hearing Hun Sen and the leaders say we have surplus tons of rice each year. THey are not for helping the poor? Just for selling only?

Anonymous said...

What happens to millions and billions dollars in aide from foreigners, where have they gone to ? Cambodia has only 14.7 millions population but 80% of its citizen still live under the poverty line.

Anonymous said...

Where is the dog who always barking that he will drive the country without let any one die with either hunger or starving.
How this would happened? where this figures come from? Don't let the world know this figures come from as a consequence of corruption, poor management, no social justice, land grabbing etc.

Khmer in Sydney.

Anonymous said...

We are giving poor khmers rice?
Why does the government not increase the budget for agriculture above the present tiny amount.
Cambodia farmers need help from the government in the form of infrastructure.
Of course most of the rice donated by australia will go to CPP supporters.

Anonymous said...

Australians are our good friends but regular Cambodian children or rich Cambodian children win those scholarships ? Be fair please.