LAHORE: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in collaboration with the Punjab Government will carry out a project titled “Transforming Indus Basin with Climate Resilient Agriculture & water Management” which will help 1.3 million farmers of the Southern Punjab.
The Project will be carried out a total cost of USD 47.69 million in D.G Khan, Khanewal, Lodhran, Multan and Muzaffargarh.
Secretary Agriculture Punjab Iftikhar Ali Sahoo reviewed the project at a meeting here on Tuesday. Meeting was attended by FAO Representative in Pakistan Ms. Florence Rolle and Ms. Emelda Berejena Technical Advisor, GCF Project along with Director General Agriculture (Water Management) Malik Muhammad Akram, Chief, Planning & Evaluation Cell Rana Mehmood and other officers.
Speaking at a review meeting of this project, Ms. Florence Rolle, FAO Representative said that this project aims to increase resilience to climate change among the most vulnerable farming community in the Indus Basin and to strengthen public/private sector capacity for climate smart agriculture development.
Director General Agriculture (Water Management) Punjab informed the meeting that total cost of the project is US $ 47.69 million will be spent to achieve objective of the project for which US $ 34.99 million will be Green Climate Smart Grant whereas Government of Punjab is providing US $ 8.0 million for Co-Financing for project implementation. He further said that the project will enhance adoptive capacity of farming community through reduced exposure to on-farm climate threats along with strengthening regulatory system.
Iftikhar Ali Sahoo Secretary Agriculture, Punjab at this occasion said that this project will help over 1.3 million farmers in the targeted Districts of South Punjab including D.G Khan, Khanewal, Lodhran, Multan and Muzaffargarh to benefit for adoption and use of climate smart resilient agriculture and on-farm management practices. He added that the project will strengthen institutional and regulatory system of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Management.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023