KAMPALA, April 3 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) has distributed financial support to thousands of Ugandan households in the eastern region affected by desert locusts last year.
Agatha Ayebazibwe, an FAO communications officer in Uganda, told Xinhua in an email on Friday that more than 5,800 households have received cash assistance so far and each has received about 200 U.S. dollars.
"The target is currently at 8,000 beneficiary households spread across the 17 districts in the Teso and Karamoja sub-regions," Ayebazibwe said, adding that beneficiaries receiving cash assistance had been identified as the most vulnerable among those affected.
Besides cash aid, beneficiaries are also supported with re-engagement packages for crop or livestock-related livelihoods activities, as well as related training.
In a report last year, the FAO said the desert locust disaster posed a potential threat to the food security of 1.32 million people in the African country.
"For as long as there is a presence of locusts in the region, depending on the weather and wind directions, Uganda remains threatened," Ayebazibwe said. Enditem
