The UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation 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, funded by the World Bank, and has reached beneficiaries in 13 southern Upazilas since starting on July 13. FAO officials, along with government representatives, are overseeing the distribution process. The FAO's representative in Bangladesh, Ad Spijkers, stated that farmers in the south require assistance with modern technologies to rebuild their livelihoods following the destruction caused by cyclones Sidr and Aila. Support for crops, fisheries, and livestock will be provided over the next four years. Spijkers reiterated that despite the challenges posed by climate change and natural disasters, increasing farm production is possible through the use of stress-tolerant seeds and modern machinery such as power tillers and irrigation pumps. He further explained the objectives of the ECRRP project, which include promoting balanced fertilizer use, expanding surface water irrigation, and providing training on modern technologies and best practices to farmers and fishers through Farmers Field Schools. Spijkers also mentioned that the FAO has assisted 1.4 million farmers affected by Sidr and Aila by providing emergency inputs for crops, fisheries, and livestock. Additionally, he disclosed that 12 southern districts will benefit from recent EU funding support in agriculture and fisheries. Spijkers emphasized the government of Bangladesh's efforts to invest in the southern delta region to achieve sustainable food security, highlighting the importance of adopting modern technologies and practices to reach this goal. He highlighted the importance of having an investment master plan that will effectively align the agriculture and water sectors in the south to achieve sustainable development and restore the region's status as the main source of food production in the country. The FAO director also promised to collaborate with the government and development partners to create this plan.