ADB to provide technical assistance

Aims to help sustain national food security, control pests

ISLAMABAD:

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) would provide knowledge and support technical assistance to Pakistan to help achieve sustainable food security and control pests.

During a meeting between Federal Ministry of National Food Security and Research Secretary Omer Hameed Khan and ADB Director Yasmin Siddiqi held to discuss policy framework, it was agreed that the ADB would implement the technical assistance plan in the next two years.

The plan will take financial assistance from the Technical Support Facility, Central and West Asia Department, climate change fund and water partnership financing fund.

The impact of this assistance will help sustain national food security, besides building resilience in the agriculture sector.

The outcome of the assistance programme will include building institutional capacity for responding sustainably to national food security needs as agriculture was a mainstay of Pakistan’s economy and vital for continued food security.

Speaking on the occasion, Khan mentioned that Pakistan sought to create a modern, efficient and diversified agriculture sector to ensure food security and currently the ministry was focusing on developing sustainable agriculture in 10 districts of southern Balochistan.

He urged the ADB to assist in developing agricultural projects in southern Balochistan. APP

Published in The Express Tribune, September 16^th, 2020.

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