The money would be used chiefly to restore water supplies to date plantations and to livestock farmers, the FAO said in a statement which noted that the date growers, "mostly small-scale farmers, are among the worst hit."

The earthquake which levelled Bam on December 26 seriously damaged traditional water channels used for irrigation and deep wells, as well as greenhouses, motor-pumps, agricultural machinery and 38 rural small-and medium-scale date conservation and refrigeration units, the FAO said.

"There is also concern about 650 livestock shelters that have been destroyed and the loss of 450 large and 20,000 small animals," it said.

The FAO noted that "agriculture provides employment for over 25 percent of the district's population of 230,000 people."

On Friday, the United Nations told an international donors meeting in Geneva that reconstruction after the earthquake would cost up to one billion dollars.

Most of that amount over the next two years is likely to be garnered by the Iranian authorities, but the international community should provide "critical support", it said.

The UN has already appealed for an extra 73 million dollars in aid with the international Red Cross and a spokeswoman in Geneva said "there will be more appeals in the medium and long-term."

So far about 100 million dollars in aid has been provided by 60 countries since the earthquake struck southeastern Iran on December 26, she said.

TERRA.WIRE