BAGHDAD, June 17 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations on Monday said that the European Union (EU) has offered a contribution of about 17 million U.S. dollars to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations to recover agricultural livelihoods in Iraq's northern province of Nineveh.
Farming families in Nineveh province, once known as Iraq's breadbasket before conflict caused widespread damage and displacement, will benefit from the contribution, a statement by the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) said.
"This project is expected to directly benefit almost 10,000 vulnerable farming families (around 60,000 people), as well as flow-on benefits for local service providers and laborers," the statement said.
"By reviving agriculture in Nineveh, a key sector of the economy, this new project will help communities and returnees in rural areas, increasing their income and employment opportunities," the statement quoted Ramon Blecua, EU ambassador to Iraq, as saying.
Three years of war against Islamic State (IS) militants has been devastating, including damaging water systems, irrigation facilities and other agricultural infrastructure, loss of personal assets, crop and livestock production and food supplies, according to the statement.
In June 2014, IS militants made a significant blitzkrieg and seized large territories in the predominantly Sunni provinces in northern and western Iraq, pushing millions of Iraqis to leave their homes.
However, since the Iraqi government announced the defeat of IS group in late 2017, many people have returned, encouraged by the efforts to ensure a secure and safe environment, but some areas still lack basic services and job opportunities for both returnees and those who remained.
