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IFAD
in Pakistan
Since 1978 IFAD has supported 22 projects in Pakistan with loans for a total of US$422.6 million. The total estimated cost of the projects is US$2,083.0 million. The projects have directly benefited approximately 1.7 million households in rural Pakistan, working to improve the livelihoods and productivity of rural poor people. They reach the most disadvantaged communities across the country and address a range of development issues, from community management of resources to introduction of credit systems and development of irrigation and agriculture. After the devastating earthquake on 8 October 2005, IFAD designed a new emergency loan towards rehabilitation efforts benefiting rural poor people in the earthquake zone. IFAD’s strategy in Pakistan IFAD’s strategy in Pakistan focuses on poor communities in rural areas, especially herders, landless people and smallholders. Increasingly, programmes and projects target the most disadvantaged regions, particularly tribal areas and semi-arid, mountainous and environmentally-sensitive areas. An important aspect of IFAD’s work in Pakistan has been the development of rainfed agriculture, previously neglected in favour of the irrigated sector. IFAD’s main objective is to reduce rural poverty by boosting productivity and raising incomes. It supports efforts to introduce technological improvements in livestock, agriculture, irrigation and mechanization. IFAD-funded programmes and projects help make credit and markets more accessible, and help communities organize groups to manage finances and disseminate training and knowledge. At the policy and institutional level, IFAD’s programmes and projects work to secure long-term access to land and water resources for rural poor people. Specific concerns of IFAD’s current strategy in Pakistan are:
To overcome poverty, rural poor people must be empowered to lead their own development. Community members are encouraged to decide on their own development priorities, and to participate fully in designing projects by identifying their needs and assuming ownership of project activities. The empowerment of women, who are among the country’s most disadvantaged people, continues to be a priority in IFAD’s work in Pakistan. In many rural communities there is still considerable cultural resistance to the participation of women in project activities and rural organizations. In Pakistan IFAD invests in programmes and projects that work closely with local communities to convince them of the relevance of women’s empowerment and the benefits it brings. The establishment of women’s groups within community organizations offering training and advice is an important element of each project. By improving services such as water supply and by introducing income-generating activities, projects improve women’s living conditions and those of their families. Source: IFAD |
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