Manila  - The Asian Development Bank said Friday that it approved a 1-million-dollar technical assistance grant to help boost the Philippine government's efforts to attain food security amid sharp surges in global food prices.

The Manila-based bank said the grant was to finance an analysis of the Philippines' agricultural and irrigation sectors.

Ian Makin, a senior bank water resources specialist, said the grant would also help draw up an investment project design for upgrading and extending irrigation services on existing irrigated land.

"The impact of the proposed project will be increased farm household income and reduced rural poverty," he said. "The aim is for 40,000 hectares of irrigated land to benefit from upgraded infrastructure and services by 2016."

The Philippine government is contributing the equivalent of 250,000 dollars in the form of staff, office space and other support services.

Earlier in the year, the Philippines was hit by sharp surges in the price of rice, the country's staple food, driving more people into poverty.

Surveys showed that more than a third of the country's almost 90 million people are living in poverty. (dpa)