MANILA, Philippines -- In an effort to assist internally displaced persons (IDPs) and returnee-households in Maguindanao restore their farming activities, the New Zealand government has provided a grant worth $1.4 million for the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

To be implemented for 12 months, the grant is expected to help more than 63,000 IDPs or 10,550 farm households.”

According to the New Zealand Embassy, the grant is in response to the Humanitarian Action Plan launched in February, 2011, for the conflict-affected provinces in Mindanao, where part of the requirements for the restoration of agriculture related activities, estimated at $2.14 million, remains unfunded.

The Embassy pointed out that over the past decade, central Mindanao has experienced cycles of displacement as a result of recurring conflict between insurgent groups and the Philippine government.

Based on the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) report, the most recent conflict in August 2008 resulted in about 511,000 IDPs.

The majority of the farm families affected, about 73 percent, were from the province of Maguindanao.

The Embassy said that although the majority of those displaced since 2008 have returned home, some have yet to do so and cite the lack of security, shelter, and viable livelihood opportuni¬ties as the main impediments to their return.

Those who have returned face sig¬nificant challenges in restarting their farming and fishing livelihoods, remain vulnerable to food insecurity.

Furthermore, the Embassy said, like in most part of the Philippines, Mindanao is very vulnerable to natural disasters.

In the rural areas of Maguindanao, recent floods affected large areas of the province, causing damage to the agriculture sector, which also ham¬pered the ability of returning IDPs to rebuild and re-establish their farming activities.