February 15, 2008	Friday	Safar 07, 1429

RAWALPINDI, Feb 14: Pakistan has expressed its dissatisfaction over the performance of International Fund for Agriculture Development (Ifad), a specialised agency of the United Nations, saying that “the Fund’s operations and its targeting in Pakistan are far from perfect”.

Addressing the 30th anniversary session of Ifad Governing Council in Rome on Thursday, caretaker Federal Minister for Food, Agriculture and Livestock Mohammad Isa Jan Baloch said the Fund’s supervision [in Pakistan] is seriously lacking and “we would like Ifad to address these issues in a business-like manner.”

“The results of the Pakistan Country Portfolio Evaluation merit urgent action and Pakistan will do its share to endure that things change for the better, the federal minister told the governing council. The text of speech delivered by the federal minister was made available to Dawn. Statistics show Ifad has supported 22 projects in Pakistan with loans for a total of $422.6 million since 1978. The total estimated cost of the projects is $2,083 million. These projects have directly benefited approximately 1.7 million households in rural Pakistan, working to improve the livelihoods and productivity of rural poor.

Ifad’s strategy in Pakistan focuses on poor communities in rural areas, especially herders, landless people and smallholders. After the devastating earthquake on October 8, 2005, Ifad designed a new emergency loan towards rehabilitation efforts benefiting rural poor people in the earthquake zone.

Change is possible only with strong political will and commensurate human resources to match. IFAD needs to build on its human capital to ensure that it has the wherewithal to become a dynamic institution. The geographic diversity of Ifad’s staff at all levels is one aspiration that the membership expects to fulfil on an urgent basis, Mr Isa said.

The minister informed the decision-making body of Ifad that Pakistan has doubled its contribution to Ifad during the Seventh Replenishment period as a gesture of its strong support to Ifad during its hour of uncertainty.

“We pledge to contribute much more if Ifad could improve its governance,” he declared by stating that “we want Ifad to evolve into an organisation worthy of and fulfilling its potential.”