PHNOM PENH, May 4 (Xinhua) — The Cambodian government in collaboration with the United Nations launched the national action plan for Zero Hunger Challenge (ZHC) on Wednesday, an initiative to eradicate hunger in the Southeast Asian country by 2025.

Speaking at the launching ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Yim Chhay Ly, also chairman of the Council for Agricultural and Rural Development, said the government is committed to achieving the sustainable development goal to "end hunger, achieve food security and improve nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture".

"The government is looking forward to working with development partners, civil society organizations and the private sector to eliminate hunger and malnutrition in Cambodia by 2025," he said.

To assist the government to achieve the goal by the target date, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), World Food Programme(WFP) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) are providing collective assistance to help Cambodia with the National Action Plan to implement the ZHC initiative.

FAO Regional Representative Kundhavi Kadiresan said it was estimated that more than 2 million Cambodians out of the kingdom's 15 million people are living in hunger.

"We commend the government for its strong commitment to end hunger and we are positively optimistic that we can achieve this goal within the timeframe," she said.