Kabul, Jun 5 (IANS): The World Bank and Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF) Management Committee have recently approved three projects totalling $793 million that will provide urgent and essential food, livelihood, and health services to the people of the war-torn nation, the global lender said in a statement.

According to the World Bank, the projects are intended to provide aid to the public outside of the Taliban regime's control, TOLO News reported.

"The projects will focus on wheat production, supporting about 300,000 households in the November 2022 planting season and another 300,000 households in the March-November 2023 planting season.

"It will support the nutritional needs of children, people with disabilities or chronic illness, and households headed by women by providing seeds and basic tools for backyard kitchen gardening and technical training on improved nutrition and climate-smart production practices," the statement said.

According to the World Bank, about 150,000 women will also receive training in cultivation and nutrition.

Welcoming the development, a Taliban spokesman said: "The Islamic Emirate wants the funds that were allocated for Afghanistan in the past to be provided to the needy people of Afghanistan. The Islamic Emirate is ready for any kind of cooperation in this area."

Also lauding the move, an official from Da Afghanistan Bank said that the central bank "appreciates the decision of the World Bank and ARTF to provide food materials, health services and livelihood resources to the people of Afghanistan".

Earlier, the World Bank had allocated a $1 billion package of humanitarian aid for Afghanistan.