2/12/05 (Xinhua New Agency)  -  The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) on Wednesday launched an appeal for more than 96 million US dollars to provide agricultural relief in the coming year in 14 countries and regions suffering from devastating human or natural disasters.

FAO's call for funds covers the agricultural component of the UN Humanitarian Appeal for 2006. UN agencies and their non-governmental partners are seeking a total of 4.7 billion dollars to meet the basic needs of 31 million people struck by major emergencies.

"In a year marked by some of the biggest natural disasters in recent memory, from the Indian Ocean tsunami to the earthquake in South Asia, this appeal is meant to draw the world's attention to the often forgotten emergencies," said Anne M. Bauer, director of FAO's Emergency Operations and Rehabilitation Division.

"Countless lives are saved each year thanks to strong donor response to such appeals," said Bauer.

"FAO's aim is to protect, restore and enhance the livelihoods of farmers and fishers affected by disasters," she added. "By promoting self-reliance, we help people move away from dependence on food aid and other forms of assistance."

Most of the countries in this year's appeal are in Africa, which continues to be plagued by violence, displacement and endemic poverty. The situation is exacerbated by recurrent natural disasters and HIV/AIDS, according to FAO.

In Burundi, despite considerable progress, over 60 percent of the population lives below the poverty line and 69 percent suffers from malnutrition, FAO said.