some relief: Sri Lanka will supply special energy food packages to civilians fleeing the war regions in northern Sri Lanka. More than 30,000 civilians are living in welfare centres and some in camps, said Sri Lanka's Minister for Resettlement and Disaster Relief Services Rishard Badurdeen. Food, shelter, medical help, clean water and latrines are immediate requirements, said Toril Brekke, Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) Country Director in Sri Lanka . NRC is distributing emergency shelters to the transit camps.
Shift to cash crops: Bangladesh's Department of Agriculture Extension will cultivate at least 25 major cash crops in 11 southern districts under Barisal Agriculture Extension Zone during this winter season to overcome food deficit. About 950,000 hectares have been brought under cash crop cultivation. The production target stands at 51,32,282 tonnes. Production of wheat, mustard, maize, khesari, potato and sweet potato would exceed the target in 2009, sources said. The government has directed banks to disburse necessary agriculture loans to small, marginal and poor farmers.
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