ISLAMABAD: The International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) says that its poverty alleviation project in southern Punjab has started changing the lives of extremely poor households through a package of support such as secure housing unit, vocational and entrepreneurial training, food banks and access to financial services.

An assessment of the project carried out by an IFAD team, led by Country Director for Pakistan Hubert Boirard, shows that 1.5 million rural people living in seven districts of southern Punjab have to date benefited from the Southern Punjab Poverty Alleviation Project (SPPAP).

The project costing $195.12 million is nearing completion in 2022. The interventions under the UN agency-assisted project are focused on increased agricultural productivity and raise rural incomes, thus contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals of no poverty, zero hunger, decent work and economic growth.

Leading an annual supervision mission of the project, Mr Hubert, who extensively visited Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Dera Ghazi Khan, Layyah, Muzaffargarh, Rahim Yar Khan and Rajanpur, appreciated the outstanding performance of the project for achieving milestones and targets despite the challenging situation due to the Covid-19 pandemic. He held the final wrap-up meeting at the Punjab planning and development board in Lahore.

Under the poverty alleviation project, IFAD has introduced the concept of food bank. ‘Food Bank’ is a facility provided to poor households to improve food security and mitigate hunger season, a contribution towards SDG2-Zero hunger.

Published in Dawn, February 9th, 2021