The Ministry of National Food Security and Research (MNFS&R) and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the UN on Thursday singed country programming framework (CPF) 2018-2022. Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Sahibzada Muhammad Mehboob Sultan and FAO representative to Pakistan Mina Dowlatchahi singed the CPE. They also signed Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) control project and formally launched it.
The new five-year CPE jointly developed by FAO and Ministry of Food sets out three common development priorities - Zero Hunger, Climate Smart resilient agriculture and sustainable ecosystems including forests, fisheries, Livestock and water management and inclusive and efficient agriculture & food system.
Speaking on the occasion, Sultan said that collaboration of FAO and Government of Pakistan has positive historical trajectory. Pakistan has been the member of FAO since September 1947.
FAO supported Pakistan in food security and agriculture and we are moving towards achieving greater goals. The minister also launched "Control of Foot and Mouth Disease in Pakistan". The estimated cost of the project is Rs 763 million through Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP).
He said that the FMD initiative is built on six-year experience of this ministry, working with close collaboration with the FAO of the United Nation on various projects. FMD control project will address five essential components for the control of this disease and will strengthen the diagnosis in selected laboratories in all provinces and administration units of the country.
"We intend to develop a model animal health legal framework both at federal and provincial level to address Sanitary and Phyto-sanitary (SPS) issues and modernizing import and export regime", he said. FAO representative to Pakistan Mina Dowlatchahi said that CPF will mark another five years with Pakistan and we are here to serve for the betterment of the people of Pakistan and we take into account the matters like climate and value chain. We are aligned to sustainable development goals.
She further said that implementation of CPF will contribute to the achievement of no poverty, zero hunger, food security & improved nutrition, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, responsible consumption and production, climate action, life below water, life on land and partnership for the goals.