Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is to provide US$ 500,000 to increase rice production in conflict and flood affected districts of Sri Lanka. In a press release yesterday, the FAO said it has approved the funding for the project "Input supply to vulnerable populations under Initiative on Soaring Food Prices" in response to a request by the Sri Lankan government for assistance in combating the soaring food prices. FAO will provide funds to renovate the paddy lands in the troubled areas and will distribute seed paddy to the farmers in those areas. Six hundred metric tons of certified seed paddy will be distributed to the target beneficiary families in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture in Batticaloa, Ampara, Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura Districts for 2008 'Maha' season, FAO reported. Patrick Evans, FAO representative in Sri Lanka said "From this initiative about 6 000 ha of former paddy lands will be renovated and overall rice production of these 4 districts will be increased." Agricultural development in the country, mainly in the Eastern province has become an urgent need of the Sri Lankan government. The latest Central Bank report shows that overall production of paddy has decreased by 6.4% to 3,128,881 MT in 2007 with the Maha and Yala seasons dropping by 7.7% and 4.1% respectively with the imports of rice increasing by over five hundred percent to 88,000 MT in 2007.