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Seeds for farmers in Bosnia and Herzegovina
FAO provided about 1 100 tonnes of winter wheat seed to farmers in the most destitute area, the former Bihac pocket. The seed was taken into Bihac and distributed on UNHCR trucks, with the help of the Lutheran World Service and Bangladeshi peacekeeping troops. In September 1995, the Netherlands and UNHCR agreed to contribute, respectively, US$2.2 million and US$1.3 million to support the relief programme, in partial response to a consolidated appeal for US$11 million. About 6 700 tonnes of winter wheat seed were ordered and transported into Bosnia and Herzogovina, along with needed fertilizer. The relief operation provided 90 percent of the emergency wheat seed requirements identified by FAO for the 1995 autumn planting. This seed yielded about 63 000 tonnes of wheat for a hungry population. Agricultural relief and early recovery activities continued in 1996 and 1997.
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When war disrupts agriculture, people go hungry. This
is what happened in large parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina, where, by the end of 1993,
the breakdown of markets and the supply system for seed, fertilizer and insecticides
was almost total. To provide for the minimal needs of war-affected farmers for the
1995 autumn planting season, it was estimated that more than US$11 million were needed
for seed, fertilizer and crop protection chemicals.