Planting the seeds of recovery in the Philippines

More than 14 million people were affected by the devastation brought on by super Typhoon Haiyan (known locally as Yolanda) in the Philippines. The typhoon struck the Visayas region of the Central Philippines on 8 November 2013. The winds registered at over 300 km per hour - the strongest in history for the landfall of a cyclone. More than 6 200 people died and a further 4.1 million were displaced.

Farmers needed to clear and replant their fields by December/January to secure the first harvest of 2014. FAO made this a top priority and is reaching nearly 44 000 families with rice production packages (seed, fertilizer, irrigation pumps) in time.

Every farmer supported with 1 hectare-worth of rice seed will be able to produce 2 tonnes - enough rice to feed a family of five for a year, generate vital income and save as seed for future planting. The total anticipated production is 87 154 tonnes of rice for consumption - enough to feed 800 000 people for 1 year.