JICA provides 625000kgs of certified wheat seeds to flood affected farmers

ISLAMABAD      –          Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has provided 625000 kilogrammes of certified wheat seeds (12,500 bags) to flood affected farmers of five districts of Balochistan. The wheat seed was provided to the flood affected farmers in Nasirabad, Jaffarabad, Soubatpur, Jal Magsi and Kacchi districts of Balochistan province, said a press statement issued here. JICA Pakistan office provided 12,500 certified wheat seed bags (50kg per bag) to flood affected farmers of five districts in Balochistan. The Japanese assistance enables 2,500 flood affected farmers families to cultivate wheat crop on their 12,500 acres of land during this Rabi season which will ultimately ensure the food security through availability of sufficient wheat yield in next harvesting season, said the statement. This year intense rainfall in monsoon season caused severe flooding across Pakistan and impacted a large number of people and households including deaths of people, damages of infrastructure, destruction of agricultural area. The floods have pushed millions of people into poverty and hunger. As per Rapid Need Assessment (RNA) conducted by government and FAO Pakistan, in Balochistan province 4,972 km square agricultural area (1,228,531 acres, 15 percent of the total agriculture area in Balochistan) has been inundated. Nasirabad Division is the severely affected districts. Furthermore, Post Disaster Need Assessment (PDNA) report on Pakistan flood 2022 also emphasized for immediate needs by ensuring preparedness for the incoming Rabi season through land clearance and land preparation, and the distribution of agricultural inputs (seeds and fertilizers) to small and medium agriculture farmers. On the request of Government of Balochistan, Government of Japan and JICA Pakistan office decided to extend the critical support to ensure food security in flood affected areas in Balochistan province. Yasumitsu Kinoshita (JICA Pakistan office) and Abdul Wahab Kakar, Director General, Directorate of Agriculture Extension, Government of Balochistan signed minutes of meeting on the additional assistance for support for livelihood improvement of agriculture farmers affected by flood 2022 in the selected districts of Balochistan province under JICA’s ongoing technical cooperation project “The Project for Capacity Development of Agriculture Extension Services in Balochistan Province”. JICA hired the service of Taraqee Foundation, local organization in Balochistan for quick assessment of 2,500 affected farmers families from five districts Nasirabad, Jaffarabad, Soubatpur, Jal Magsi and Kacchi which will be provided 5 bags (for 5 acres of land) of certified wheat seeds to each farmer after verification process by the district’s authorities of government of Balochistan. Furthermore, JICA’s cooperation will not only ensure the future availability of wheat as essential food item for food security but also improve livelihood of 2,500 agriculture farmer’s families affected by flood 2022 in Balochistan Province, said the statement.

Article source: https://www.nation.com.pk/18-Nov-2022/jica-provides-625000kgs-of-certified-wheat-seeds-to-flood-affected-farmers