Nutritional behaviours and practices for food-insecure communities in the Gwadar and Lasbela coastal districts of Balochistan will be improved under a project signed by the World Food Programme (WFP) of the United Nations and the provincial government.
The WFP and Balochistan government on Wednesday signed the second phase of Gwadar-Lasbela Livelihoods Support Project (GLLSP-II) as these areas are highly exposed to climate shocks, resulting in lower productivity in agriculture, livestock and fisheries, WFP announced in Islamabad.
GLLSP-II is an extension of the Gwadar-Lasbela Livelihoods Support Project’s previous phase, conducted in the same two districts. It adopts an integrated approach by the Rome-based agencies — FAO, IFAD and WFP — to promote climate-resilient agriculture and livestock practices and sustainable fisheries management.
The project agreement was signed in Islamabad by Rathi Palakrishnan, Acting WFP Country Director, and Rehmat Dashti, Project Director of Planning and Development Department of Balochistan.
“The WFP is deeply concerned about the worsening nutrition situation in Pakistan, including in several districts of Balochistan. The partnership will allow WFP to provide critical support to the provincial government in its efforts to raise nutrition awareness among the most vulnerable communities to improve their nutrition and overall well-being,” said Rathi Palakrishnan.
The project funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development will contribute to the prevention of malnutrition through behavioural change interventions on nutrition, building on a nationwide existing programme supported by WFP, known as the Benazir Nashonuma Programme.