ISLAMABAD, May 17: Pakistan and the United States signed here on Friday a commodity assistance agreement amounting to $10 million for Islamabad under the PL-480, Title-1 Programme.

According to an official announcement, the US Department of Agriculture’s Commodity Credit Corporation would offer $10 million for the import of 56,000 tons of soyabeans during 2001-2002.

Ms Wendy Chamberlin, US Ambassador to Pakistan, and Nawid Ahsan, Secretary Economic Affairs Division (EAD), signed the agreement on behalf of their respective governments.

The agriculture commodity provided under the agreement will be integrated into the overall development plans aimed at improving food security, alleviating poverty and promoting broad based, equitable and sustainable agriculture in Pakistan.

Sale proceeds of $10 million will be utilized to fund the Natural Sciences Linkages Programme to be created with the Ministry of Science and Technology. This programme is designed to undertake cooperation among scientists from Pakistan and the United States in the areas of significant mutual interest and benefit relating to natural sciences as applicable to agriculture.