Food and Agriculture Organisation liaison and operation head, Ms Ariella F Glinni said that the European Union (EU) is financing a project worth Euro 40 million to combat rising food prices in Pakistan, aiming to improve the food security for over 1 million of the most vulnerable people in food-deficient areas of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan.
She was addressing a gathering of farmers in Khai, a remote village District Chakwal of Punjab, where she kicked off the distribution plan for Kharif 2010. During the ceremony she distributed wheat seeds, vegetable seeds, fertilisers and other agriculture inputs among the farmers.
The project is implemented by the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in association with the World Food Program. Ms Glinni said, "The assistance will play an important role towards enhancing agriculture productivity in the food deficient districts crucial for the sustainability of vulnerable rural households". She explained that the project focuses on small holder farmers who is receiving quality agriculture inputs and trained in improved agriculture technologies, thereby ensuring an increase in productivity and strengthening of local capacities.
The project's main activities are free distribution of agricultural inputs; improvement of irrigation channels and water harvesting systems; reduction of post harvest losses; and strengthening of local institutional capacity. WFP is providing food for work assistance for approximately 83,000 households in the most food vulnerable areas being targeted by FAO.
Project Manager Food Facility Dr Faizul said, "The EU "Food Facility" is the European Union's Euro 1 billion (113 billion rupees) response to the food crisis, showing Europe's firm commitment to help poor countries boost agricultural production, especially in a time that hunger is on the rise even more because of the global economic crisis,"
Dr Faizul Bari said that till date we have provided agriculture inputs to 189,000 Household and machinery for 100 farmers association have been procured and contribution will complete at the end of June 2010. Likewise 255 irrigation channels and 200 water harvesting structures identified, surveyed and cost estimated and constructed work will be start in June. He further elaborated that7, 635 farmers have been trained including 2,134 women in improved agriculture practices out of 40, 000 farmers. He said that till date 1710 metric tons wheat, DAP and urea, 136.78 MTs lentil and 34200 packets vegetable seeds have been distributed among the farmers.
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