Alam Zeb Khan
ISLAMABAD: The US Embassy to Pakistan in Islamabad and the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa jointly launched a new development project worth $1 million to provide training for farmers, advance irrigation systems, and increase household income in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The project has a special initiative to encourage and assist women farmers.
This was disclosed in a signing ceremony held in Islamabad on Thursday. US Embassy’s Deputy Chief of Mission Andrew Schofer, Director of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) Lori Antolinez, Additional Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah, Director General of Planning & Development Department KP, and Joint Secretary Economic Affairs Division Islam Zaib attended the signing ceremony.
Woman farmers to be trained
As part of the U.S. assistance in the project, comprising 200 training courses targeting approximately 4,000 farmers, with emphasis on women farmers. The program also included the construction of irrigation systems to reduce flood risk, encourage the proper use of water resources, increase crop yields and improve economic livelihoods in the province.
The new program follows the successful completion of development projects worth more than $6 million that helped over 44,000 families from the Bajaur, Khyber, Mohmand, and Torghar districts since 2019.
Sharing his views on the occasion, Deputy Chief of Mission Andrew Schofer admired the longstanding partnership between the US and KP governments to curb unlawful crop production in the province.
“This program will provide important skills training for women farmers in the newly merged districts, helping to boost crop yields and promoting economic prospects in Mohmand, Bajaur, Khyber, and Torghar districts,” Schoper said.
US-KP collaboration since 1988
A press release issued from the embassy added that since 1988, the US government’s crop control program has invested over $80 million in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The program covered different projects including the construction of more than 1,200 km of roads, about 1,300 water supply, and irrigation schemes, and more than 75,500 acres of demonstration plots for high-yield substitute crops, helping over 360,000 families.
It further added that poppy cultivation in Pakistan has been contained by 87 percent during this period, a commanding indicator of the success of the long-lasting partnership between the two countries.
As both countries celebrate 75 years of bilateral relations, the US Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs is also marking the 40-year anniversary of its partnership in Pakistan to advance justice, security, and prosperity.
The government of United States has invested more than $1 billion dollars during the last four decades, to improve citizen security and enhance law enforcement capacity across Pakistan
