ISLAMABAD: The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations and the Australian government are launching the second phase of the Australia-Balochistan Agribusiness Programme (AusABBA) to tackle a range of problems in the agriculture sector in south western border districts of the province.

As part of project preparations, FAO and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Dfat) have held meetings with the departments of agriculture, cooperatives, livestock and dairy development. The FAO and Dfat have also signed the grant assistance project.

In the second phase, AusABBA will cover the Chagai, Kech, Kharan, Nushki, Panjgur and Washuk districts of south-west Balochistan, near the Afghan-Iranian border. These six districts are part of the arid dry western plateau agro-ecological zone.

Published in Dawn, August 13th, 2017