ISLAMABAD: The UN’s World Food Programme will provide technical expertise in nutrition and logistics to the Benazir Nashonuma Programme (BNP).

The WFP and the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) have signed a two-year agreement at WFP headquarters in Rome.

The programme is the largest government-funded programme in the WFP’s history, showcasing an unparalleled commitment to prevent stunting in Pakistan, according to officials of BNP.

BISP Secretary Amer Ali Ahmed and WFP Assistant Executive Director for Partnerships and Innovation Rania Dagash-Kamara signed the agreement in Rome on Wednesday.

Implemented through over 550 facilitation centres across the country, the programme provides a critical combination of cash assistance, nutrition education, health services, and specialised foods to prevent and reduce stunting and malnutrition.

The programme is fully funded by the government and supported by WFP’s technical expertise in nutrition and logistics, and has already improved the lives of 2.3 million vulnerable women and children and is set to empower another 1.7m over the next two years.

Published in Dawn, August 30th, 2024