The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the UN has begun distributing agricultural inputs to farmers affected by Cyclone Sidr in Bangladesh's coastal region. This distribution is part of the Emergency 2007 Cyclone Recovery and Restoration Project, which is funded by the World Bank. The distribution has reached beneficiaries in 13 southern Upazilas since it started on July 13, with government and FAO officials accompanying the team. Bangladesh's FAO representative, Ad Spijkers, stated that farmers in the south require more assistance with modern technologies to rebuild their livelihoods following the destruction caused by cyclones Sidr and Aila. He also mentioned that support for crops, fisheries, and livestock will continue for the next four years. Spijkers reiterated that despite the challenges of climate change and natural disasters, farm production can be increased by using stress-tolerant seeds and modern equipment such as power tillers and irrigation pumps. He discussed the goals of the ECRRP project, which include promoting balanced fertilizer use, expanding surface water irrigation, and providing farmers and fishers with training on modern technologies through Farmers Field Schools. Spijkers also mentioned that the FAO has supported 1.4 million farmers affected by Sidr and Aila with emergency inputs for crops, fisheries, and livestock. Additionally, he stated that 12 southern districts will benefit from recent EU funding for agriculture sectors. Spijkers emphasized the government of Bangladesh's focus on investing in the southern delta to achieve sustainable food security, highlighting the importance of adopting modern technologies and practices to reach these goals. He stressed the importance of a comprehensive investment plan that will effectively link the agriculture and water sectors in the south to promote sustainable development and restore the region's status as the country's main food producer. The FAO leader also confirmed that his organization will collaborate with the government and other partners to create this plan.