UN agency to counter effect of AIDS

The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) is seeking a US $43 million aid package to assist some 6.5 million people in Southern Africa affected by the impact of HIV/AIDS on food production. FAO director, Anne Bauer, said in a statement that the HIV/AIDS pandemic was "driving entire households and communities to levels of destitution" from which they could not recover without international assistance. She said the crisis had been exacerbated by drought, deteriorating economic conditions, an increase in chronic poverty and the interruption of commercial farming activities. "We need to target and assist these people, to make sure that they can continue and adapt their farming activities despite the serious situation they are facing," Bauer added. FAO's efforts are part of a UN inter-agency appeal, which will use the money to establish programmes that increase agricultural production and mitigate the impact of HIV/AIDS.