FAO Concludes Emergency Project in Flood-Affected Pakistan Provinces

Strategic Insights -

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has completed a critical emergency project that provided vital support to farming and herding communities in Balochistan and Sindh provinces, impacted by the unprecedented 2022 floods. Funded by the Government of Japan with a contribution of USD 6.48 million, the project aimed to restore food production, improve household nutrition, and build long-term resilience in devastated areas. Over 74,000 households (520,000 people) benefited from the initiative, which combined agricultural support with livestock protection and targeted assistance for female-headed families.

Key Takeaways:

  • The FAO-led project focused on restoring food production, improving household nutrition, and building longer-term resilience in areas devastated by the 2022 floods in Balochistan and Sindh provinces.
  • The project provided support to over 74,000 households (520,000 people), combining agricultural support with livestock protection and targeted assistance for female-headed families.
  • More than 14,000 farming families received inputs to resume crop cultivation across 1,500 hectares of land, enabling the production of staple and nutritious crops.
  • Support to livestock-owning families included the distribution of animal feed, mineral blocks, poultry, and small ruminants, along with the construction of animal shelters and a mass vaccination campaign that reached over 629,000 animals, benefiting 35,000 households.
  • Female-headed households received livestock and poultry packages along with training in animal care and poultry production to help diversify and stabilize their incomes.
  • The project also helped enhance local knowledge of climate-smart practices, food security planning, and livestock management, laying the foundation for more resilient rural systems in the future.
  • The project was implemented in close coordination with the Ministry of National Food Security and Research, disaster management authorities, and non-governmental partners.

Statistics:

  • USD 6.48 million: Contribution from the Government of Japan to support the project.
  • 74,000 households: Number of households benefiting from the initiative (520,000 people).
  • 1,500 hectares: Land area for crop cultivation supported by the project.
  • 14,000: Number of farming families receiving inputs to resume crop cultivation.
  • 629,000 animals: Number of animals vaccinated as part of the mass vaccination campaign.
  • 35,000 households: Number of households benefitting from the livestock support package.

Sources:

  • Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). (2023). FAO Concludes Emergency Project in Flood-Affected Pakistan Provinces.
  • FAO Representative in Pakistan, Ms. Florence Rolle.
  • Japan's Ambassador to Pakistan, H.E. Akamatsu Shuichi.