ISLAMABAD: With the objective to reduce communities’ susceptibility to disasters, 13,200 families belonging to Tharparkar, Sanghar and Mirpurkhas districts will be provided with cash for taking part in disaster risk reduction activities.
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has launched the project with a grant of $2.78 million provided by the Australian government to improve livelihoods in these three drought-hit districts of Sindh.
According to WFP Pakistan Representative and Country Director Lola Castro, the focus is on drought-hit families in Tharparkar and Sanghar districts and flood-affected areas of Mirpurkhas.
He said that each participant would receive Rs5,400 (about $53) per month for 15 days of work. He pointed out that one of the major factors affecting livelihoods in these areas was inadequate water, adding that this project would see the construction of community assets that would help improve livelihoods and sustainable food security.
Following assessments to identify the communities’ needs, the WFP has identified a series of activities related to water conservation, rainwater harvesting, water pond construction in grazing areas, food and fodder storage and repair of culverts and access roads.
In Mirpurkhas district, the WFP is working with the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and UNWOMEN on an integrated programme to assist communities through agri-based and labour-intensive activities. The WFP project will include some 2,000 participants from villages where the other three UN agencies are already working together, to support ongoing activities with the cash grants.
