More than 300,000 people benefit from ICRC aid

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said in a press release on Friday that it had distributed seeds to more than 71,000 displaced and resident families living in Angola’s central highlands. In total, this year about 300,000 people received maize, bean, sorghum and groundnut seed, along with fertilizer. They were also given enough food to ensure that the seed would not be consumed. It was a major operation, which had to be completed before the rainy season, the press releases said. The ICRC chartered B-727 aircraft which made up to eight flights per day to bring food, seed and farming tools to people in and around the central highland cities of Huambo and Kuito. The seed was immediately planted by the families, who should be able to harvest their crops between April and July 2001. Since economic self-sufficiency has now been restored to most villagers living around Kuito and Huambo, the ICRC plans significant cuts in its emergency food aid next year. However, it will increase its support for agricultural production, the release said.