Peshawar: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has started distributing Kharif packages to 8,500 households that includes 265 women headed families in the tribal districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. This is part of the JICA and DFID funded projects, where FAO is providing certified 20-kilogram certified maize seed, 10 kilogram French beans seed and Rhode grass fodder seed to each household.
The improved climate resilient crops seed packages are provided to support the farming families in restoration of crop production. The beneficiaries were oriented by the Farmer Field School Facilitators on improved crop management practices, including post-harvest handling. The farmer households, including women headed households will be able to improve their food and nutrition security through increased production and self-sufficiency in quality seed for cultivation in the coming season. The project will improve value addition in agriculture through the establishment of value chain and functional markets.
FAO Representative for Pakistan Mina Dowlatchahi said that initiative worked to improve agricultural productivity in the newly merged tribal districts through innovative farming practices, which would benefit both the male and female farmers of the region with an increased output. FAO is implementing JICA and DFID funded projects in five tribal districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, namely, Khyber, Kurram, Orakzai, North Waziristan and South Waziristan District. The selected districts are designated as high priority areas for food security, health, and protection. The projects focus on providing holistic support to the families by introducing sustainable development activities. A total of 74,561 households are being assisted under the projects.
