The Executive Board of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has recently approved four new projects for Africa and Asia including one worth dollars 20.7 million for Bangladesh, reports BSS.

The projects are designed to assist the rural poor in these regions to become more productive and self-reliant.

The total number of IFAD supported interventions In the developing world now stands at 302 Including the present

four, a press release of the United Nations Information Service said.

As a part of the governments efforts to restore agricultural production in the wake of the devastating cyclone tn April this year that killed at least 138,000 people tn Bangladesh, caused massive livestock losses and destroyed or damaged vast areas of cropland. IFAD has designed a special assistance project for cyclone afflicted rural households.