PESHAWAR: WFP Country Director Lola Castro on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding with the Fata Secretariat to spend US dollar 132 million on nutrition and livelihood programmes in the tribal region during the next three years.

Speaking on the occasion, Ms Castro said that the project, Protracted Relief and Rehabilitation Operation (PRRO 2016-18) “Transition towards Sustainable Food Security and Resilience in Pakistan” aims to ensure the success of government-led efforts to improve food security and nutrition among communities affected by law and order operations, and build their resilience, address malnutrition, and support an enabling environment for women to increase their social and economic equality, according to a press release.

She said through the project, the WFP would be able to work with the government to support the voluntary return of the displaced people in the northwest and to concentrate on recovery and social cohesion in Fata through Food Assistance for Assets (FFA) School Feeding and Community Based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM), prevention of stunting and capacity development.

Ms Castro said through the PRRO the WFP planned to assist 328,532 families under the FFA, 461,986 students (2,485 schools) in school feeding, while 246,994 PLW and children under CMAM and 632,007 PLW and children under the stunting prevention programme, respectively in all seven agencies of Fata, and Frontier Regions.

Published in Dawn, February 24th, 2016