The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) would provide US $1.3 million to Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) to support pest control operations, besides enhancing food and nutrition security of locust-affected smallholder farmers.
In this regard an agreement was signed in a ceremony held here, attended by JICA Chief Representative in Pakistan, Furutu Shigeki, and ad interim Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Representative, Rebekah Bell and signed the project agreement.
To support the livelihoods of desert locust-affected farming communities and enhance the food security of smallholder farmers’ households, the project would work in the Kharan district in Balochistan and the Umerkot district of Sindh province.
These districts were identified in consultation with provincial agriculture departments and findings of Food Security and Livelihood Assessments said a press release issued by FAO.
This 13-month project would focus on enhancing food and nutrition security of vulnerable rural households with pregnant and lactating women through an integrated approach, which sought to increase the quantity, quality, and diversity of household food production, and included an experiential nutrition education program. About 18,370 people will directly benefit.
