ISLAMABAD: The Asian Development Bank has approved emergency assistance of $5 million for climate-resilient seeds for staple crop cultivation, and women-led livelihood to meet basic household needs in flood-hit areas of Balochistan.
The ADB financing will support rural farm households in four districts of Nasirabad division.
The most flood-impacted area in Balochistan is Nasirabad division, which has six districts: Jaffarabad, Jhal Magsi, Kacchi, Nasirabad, Sohbatpur, and Usta Muhammad.
The aid will provide 60,000 out of a total of 188,000 households in the target districts with climate-resilient rice seed. The seeds will be sown on 54,000 hectares in the province.
According to details released by ADB on Monday, the financing would be provided by the Japan Fund for Prosperous and Resilient Asia and the Pacific. It will also provide women from the targeted farm households with durable farming tool kits to help them in farming activities.
Protective footwear will also be provided for safer rice transplanting. The additional financing will also incorporate measures to strengthen community resilience to disasters caused by natural hazards.
The damage and losses in the agriculture sector in the country were primarily in crops, with 82 per cent damaged or lost, followed by livestock (17pc), and fisheries and/or aquaculture (1pc).
About 1.78m hectares of agricultural land have been damaged, and 0.8 million livestock are estimated to have perished.
Balochistan has borne a heavy impact because of its high poverty levels, making it more vulnerable to disasters like floods. Out of its 37 districts, 35 have been impacted. At least 9.2m people have been affected out of a population of 12.3m.
Published in Dawn, February 21st, 2023
