WB to provide $5mn for nutrition project in Sindh

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan signed a Grant Agreement with the World Bank amounting to US $5 million for "Multi-Sectoral Action for Nutrition (MSN) Project" for Sindh here on Wednesday.

The Project development objectives are to increase the dietary diversity and improve sanitation and hygiene practices in targeted project areas in Sindh Province.

The project will contribute to improving the underlying conditions leading to chronic malnutrition through a sanitation intervention focusing on behavioral change to improve hygiene practices and achieve open defecation-free villages.

It will also improve chronic malnutrition condition through an agriculture intervention to introduce production of nutritious food for consumption through homestead gardening practices and increasing household knowledge of food and nutrition.

The grant agreement was signed by Secretary EAD, Arif Ahmed Khan, on behalf of the government of Pakistan and Pathamuthu Illangovan, Country Director on behalf of the World Bank.

Secretary Agriculture Supply and Prices Department, Government of Sindh, Sajid Jamal Abro signed the Project Agreement on behalf of Government of Sindh.

MSN is financed by a grant from the Pakistan Partnership for Improved Nutrition (PPIN) trust fund administered by the Bank in amount of $5 million (with total commitment of $17.56 million which will be disbursed in tranches). The Grant has three components including Support of Saaf Suthro Sindh; Agriculture for Nutrition, and Project management, mentoring, and coordination.