Brasília, September 9, 2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - The Zero Hunger Program's food credit card is already a reality for 4 million people in 837 municipalities in the semi-arid regions of the Northeast and northern Minas Gerais. More than 758 families are receiving the benefit of a R$ 50.00 monthly grant to purchase food. These new figures describing the scope of the program were announced today by the Minister of Food Security and Hunger Alleviation, José Graziano.

"We are ahead of schedule in terms of our goals, and we have covered practically all of the municipalities in the semi-arid region," the Minister announced, emphasizing that completion of coverage prior to the beginning of the dry season in the region is due to the accomplishments of the administrative commissions established in the small municipalities throughout the region.

The Ministry of Food Security is now about to open a new work front just as important as the semi-arid region, extending the food credit card to the Amazon and other Northeastern cities outside the semi-arid region, beginning in the states of Maranhão and Bahia. (DAS)