Sri Lanka war-stricken farmers get US help

Nov 18, 2010 (LBO) - More than 17,000 farmers in Sri Lanka's war torn north will get seed paddy, agricultural equipment and help to re-build infrastructure through a 5.0 million US dollar grant from the United States.

The US embassy in Colombo said the program will be conducted through the Food and Agricultural Organization of the UN.

A part of the money will also be used to train farmers and renovate irrigation canals and local tanks.

"The government of Sri Lanka will prepare the land for planting and will provide a fertilizer subsidy to the farmers that get the seeds.

" Valerie Flower, deputy chief of mission at the US embassy said.

A 30-year war ended in the north and the east of the island ended in May 2009.