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Afghanistan seeks aid in the name of poppy

Afghanistan's agriculture ministry has called for us $2.5- billion international aid to boost its ailing agriculture sector by 2011.

The fund will help the government eliminate poppy cultivation in the country, while ensuring food security, says an adviser to the ministry. Under the plan, the government seeks us $100 million in the next few weeks to boost 2008 yields.

About 70 per cent of Afghanistan's estimated 26.6 million people are considered food-insecure by the un fao and millions have recently been pushed into "high risk' food-insecurity because of high food prices, aid agencies say.