The Government of Japan on Tuesday announced funding the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to implement 2 projects worth around dollar 2.7 million and 5.0 million respectively
Islamabad, (Pakistan Point News - 27th Feb, 2018) : The Government of Japan on Tuesday announced funding the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to implement 2 projects worth around Dollar 2.7 million and 5.0 million respectively. The funding will be used for the enhancement of Foot and Mouth disease (FMD) control and the second phase of restoration of the livelihoods in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). Documents to this effect were signed and exchanged today between Takashi Kurai, Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan and Ms.
Min� Dowlatchahi, FAO Representative in Pakistan in the presence of Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan, Federal Minister of National Food Security and Research. A Grant Agreement on the details of implementation of the project was signed and exchanged between Yasuhiro Tojo, Chief Representative of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Ms. Dowlatchahi at the same ceremony. According to a press release issued by the Japanese embassy here, FATA has been severely affected by unrest and military operations over the last decade.
In 2015, Japan also funded 5 million USD for the first phase of the project, and FAO successfully supported approximately 77,000 households to resume agricultural production that helped improve food security and livelihoods. In the second phase of the same project, Government of Japan through FAO will provide support to about 32,000 households in the two targeted agencies of FATA, Kurram and Khyber. Speaking on the occasion. Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosans aid Government of Pakistan considers agriculture as a key area of focus to ensure food security for all segments of the society.
A growing agriculture sector not only plays a vital role in boosting national economy but also reducing poverty and improving access to food. For improving nutrition diversification of agriculture by enhanced focus on high value horticulture, livestock and fisheries is main thrust of new "Agriculture and Food Security Policy". Ambassador Takashi Kurai said: "Agriculture sector is a vital component of Pakistan's economy and its steady growth is a prerequisite for the overall developments of the country.
So I believe that these 2 projects will not only contribute to the improvement of production of agricultural goods but also to the socioeconomic development in Pakistan." Yasuhiro Tojo said that project would make a significant contribution toward stabilization of the area and essentially focus on agribusiness andvalue chain development to boost commercial agriculture in FATA. Furthermore, the project will be expected to facilitate women participation in various interventions, particularly in homestead poultry, kitchen gardening and food and grain storage/preservation.
Thanking the government of Japan for its financial assistance, Ms. Min� Dowlatchahi said "These projects will cover important areas of interventions for the FATA Transition Plan. These interventions will contribute to the development of the agricultural sector in FATA region by improving food security, boosting economic activities and markets and as a result help achieve peace and security in the area.
