Rome, Dec 14 (IANS): The Rome-based Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said that it received a new grant worth $150 million to help fund assistance to vulnerable households in war-torn Yemen.

The contribution was provided by the World Bank based on multi-agency contributions, reports Xinhua news agency quoted the UN body as saying.

It more than doubles the amount of money UN agencies have provided for resilience projects in Yemen since early 2021.

Over the last two years, the Yemen Food Security Response and Resilience Project has earmarked $127 million for Yemen-based initiatives, jointly implemented by FAO, the UN Development Program (UNDP) and the World Food Program (WFP).

In a statement, FAO said the new funding was provided "in response to a sharp deterioration in food security conditions in Yemen".

Of the total provided, $79.4 million will go to FAO-organised projects.

"Our long-standing cooperation helps to ensure an integrated approach to tackling the food security issues in Yemen by strengthening agriculture as both an emergency measure to produce locally and a middle to long-term source of food and jobs," FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu said in a statement.

"This additional financing by the World Bank is vital to building resilience among smallholder farmers in Yemen, boosting local food availability and strengthening local agrifood systems, which have been weakened by conflict, the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and climate shocks."