Telefood campaign launched

A Telefood campaign launched on Saturday in Liberia by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the independent Star radio has received contributions of about 12,000 to 15,000 Liberian dollars a day, an FAO source told IRIN on Tuesday.

“I am amazed by the generosity of the large number of Liberians who want to contribute to the fight against global hunger,” FAO country representative in Liberia Kasa Kimoto said. “Although the overall amount is relatively modest, it is a big sacrifice for people who are so poor.”

(One US dollar is equivalent to 43 Liberian dollars).

The campaign ends on 16 October.

The telefood programmes - which use television to increase public awareness and raise funds in the fight against global hunger - were started in 1997. That year’s campaign raised US $2 million worldwide, while US $4 million was raised in 1998.

In Liberia, the campaign has been adapted somewhat. “As most people do not have televisions we thought that a reputable radio station such as Star would be a more effective medium in Liberia,” Kimoto said. “Every day five hours of air time is dedicated to the telefood campaign.”

The money raised goes into a global fund managed by FAO and used to support projects with a maximum value of US $10,000 that seek to help farming groups in developing countries sustain their production.

In Liberia, the telefood fund has been used to help women grow vegetables and to finance a fruit tree nursery and a cassava cultivation project.