The European Union (EU) has granted 164.5 million euros to countries in the Sahel region where 15 million people are facing hunger, a statement from the European Commission issued on Monday in Brussels said.
It said by releasing the money, the EU intended to “fight the causes of recurrent food crisis” in that part of Africa.
The fund, which will be managed by UN special agencies and the EU-partner NGOs operating in the region, will provide money and food programmes for the poor to help them buy food. Livestock farmers will receive coupons for seeds and fertilizers.
The funds will also finance an information campaign on food security and nutrition to improve the early alert systems on the food situation in Sahel.