The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has said it welcomes a contribution of $2 million from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) to the Saemaul Zero Hunger Communities Project in Nepal.

The Korean grant amounts to half of a multiyear contribution to the zero-hunger project.

“The funds will allow WFP to continue its work reducing poverty and food insecurity in the Far-Western region of Nepal into 2017,” said a press release issued by WFP.

“I am delighted that KOICA remains committed to working with WFP in rural Nepal,” the statement has quoted Pippa Bradford, WFP representative and country director for Nepal, as saying. “This generous and timely contribution will help the people of the far-western region build more sustainable livelihoods.”

The Saemaul Zero Hunger project was launched in 2012 in two VDCs of Doti district: Ladagada and Pokhari.

“Over the following three years, the livelihoods of the 1,772 families in these communities improved significantly,” said WFP.

According to the UN food agency, the next phase will involve more than 5,000 households from five other villages in the district—Ganjari, Gaurigaun, Kadamandaon, Khirsain and Sanagaon.

“The Korean government is glad to continue and scale up the support for the most vulnerable communities in the far-west region of Nepal,” said Hyungkyoo Kim, country director of KOICA Nepal Office. “We are committed to assisting the population in Doti for building more sustainable and resilient communities and we strongly believe that the two organizations’ combined modalities and delivery mechanisms will assist populations in dire need.”