Islamabad, The Agriculture Supply and Price Department of Sindh today signed an agreement with Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations under the GCF project in Islamabad. The agreement is related to the co-finances worth US dollars 4.70 million as a cash contribution from the Government of Sindh. Mr. Abdul Rahim Soomro, Secretary – Agriculture, Supply & Prices Department, Government of Sindh, and Ms. Rebekah Bell, FAO Representative a.i., signed the agreement.
The GCF project worth 47million USD is being implemented in the five districts of Punjab and three districts of Sindh in collaboration with the Ministry of Climate Change and the Provincial Agriculture and Irrigation departments of Punjab and Sindh provinces. The main objective of the project is to increase resilience to climate change amongst the most vulnerable farmers in the Indus Basin and to strengthen the government capacity to support communities in adapting to climate change. Around 1.3 million vulnerable farmers will be benefited from this project.
Consultative Workshop on “Agriculture Climate Water (ACWA) Information Portal”
Prior to the signing of this agreement, Ministry of Climate Change and FAO organized a one-day workshop with the key stakeholders regarding the installation of an information portal for Agri-Climate and Water. The key stakeholders including, Ministry of Climate Change, Ministry of National Food security and Research, Mister of Water Resources, Agriculture and Irrigation departments, Pakistan Metrological department, PCRWR, IRSA and other national level institutions attended the workshop.
The objective of the workshop was to discuss the placement of the information portal, and the related role and responsibilities for the establishment and operation of the portal. In this way, the portal will make use of data related to agriculture, climate and water by providing real time data and analysis and ensuring the results of this analysis are readily available to the people who are making decisions about the allocation and use of agriculture water resources, including policy-makers, managers and farmers. In addition, the portal will be having a water accounting system; an evapotranspiration (ET) based water management system, and improving the availability and use of information services. The portal will also provide timely reliable information to the farming communities to take informed decisions.
“It is very essential to build the capacity in crop production forecasting and Reporting based on integrated use of satellite-remotely sensed data and other derivatives. The crop yield enhancement can be ensured if we have necessary data under which new strategies would be devised regarding food security and crop yield.” Said, Mr. Abdul Rahim Secretary Agriculture Sindh.
The participants appreciated this initiative of the project and agreed to collaborate with each other for establishment and operation of this portal. The participants identified some potential institutions and departments at both federal and provincial levels, where the portal can be housed. FAO will analyze the recommendations of the workshop and will engage the suitable institution for its operation.
