Media Update: United Nations Pakistan, 17 May 2023

FAO 

PRESS RELEASE 

USD 7.99 M UTF Agreement between Punjab Government and FAO Signed to Mitigate Climate Challenges in Punjab

The Provincial Government of Punjab and Food & Agriculture Organization of United Nations (FAO) have signed, on Tuesday May 16, 2023, a Unilateral Trust Funds (UTF) agreement for the co-financial contribution from the Punjab government to a Green Climate Fund project called “Transforming Indus Basin with Climate Resilient Agriculture and Water Management”. The project aims to increase resilience to climate change among the most vulnerable farmers in the Indus basin and to strengthen the Government of Pakistan’s capacity to support communities in adapting to climate change.

The project has been allocated from the Green Climate Fund a grant amounting to USD 34.99 million. The Government of Punjab is adding USD 7.99 million and the Government of Sindh USD 4.6 million. 

The project will strengthen institutional and regulatory systems of agriculture, irrigation and On-farm water management for climate responsive planning and development, increase generation of climate information and its effective use in decision making, enhance adaptive capacity of the farming community, and create awareness about climate change risks and develop stakeholder capacity in these aspects. 

The UTF agreement was signed by the Secretary Agriculture Government of Punjab, Iftikhar Ali Sahoo and the FAO Representative in Pakistan, Florence Rolle in the Civil Secretariat Lahore. Chairman Planning and Development Board, Ali Sarfraz Hussain, Secretary P&D Board Dr. Muhammad Sohail Anwar Chaudhary, Director General On-Farm Water (OFWM) Management, Member Environment and Climate Change P&D Board and Chief Planning and Evaluation Cell Agriculture, Rana Mahmood were also present on the occasion. On other side, Dr Aamer Irshad Head of Program FAO Pakistan, Berejena Emelda, Technical Advisor and Project Manager Transforming Indus Basin with Climate Resilient Agriculture and Water Management and Jam Muhammad Khalid, Provincial Coordinator have represented the FAO Pakistan. 

FAO Representative, Florence Rolle, while highlighting the importance of the project, said that under the coordination and leadership of the DG OFWM, together with the irrigation department and extension wing, we aim to bring about a tangible positive change in the lives of farmers and communities in South Punjab. By strengthening institutional and regulatory systems, generating climate information, and enhancing adaptive capacity, we will equip stakeholders with the tools and knowledge needed to effectively respond to climate challenges. Through this partnership, we are determined to make a lasting impact on the ground, building a resilient agricultural sector that can thrive in the face of climate uncertainty, she added. 

The project will benefit total of 200, 000 vulnerable households of which 125,000 households are in 5 districts in South Punjab Multan, Muzzafargarh, Dera Ghazi Khan, Lodhran and Khanewal and 75,000 households are in 3 districts in Sindh Sanghar, Umer Kot and Badin. The FAO, as a technical international agency is the executing agency and will implement the project jointly with Agriculture and Irrigation Departments. 

For more information, please contact:  

Shariq Lashari, Snr Communications Associate,  

FAO Pakistan  

Cell: 0321 30 82 691  

Email: shariq.lashari@fao.org  

UNDP 

PRESS RELEASE 

UNDP holds training on responsible reporting on Climate Change and GLOFs for journalists in Gilgit Baltistan  

Skardu, 17 May 2023— UNDP Pakistan held a 3-day training on responsible reporting on climate change and Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) for journalists in Skardu, Gilgit Baltistan.  

The training was organised by UNDP’s GLOF-II Project, a joint initiative with the Ministry of Climate Change and supported by Green Climate Fund. Twenty-five journalists from Gilgit, Skardu, Astore, Ghizer, Hunza, Shigar, Kharmang, Ghanche, and Nagar were trained on the catastrophic impacts of climate-induced disasters such as GLOFs, torrential rains, and floods, and how they disproportionately affect women and girls.  

“Gilgit Baltistan’s topography is rich with snow-capped mountains and monumental glaciers. However, it is unfortunate that these glaciers are rapidly melting due to the escalating climate, making communities prone to high climate risk. It is most important for journalists to disseminate the right kind of information through responsible reporting,” remarked the Additional Chief Secretary of Gilgit Baltistan, Aziza Ahmed Jamali, in his opening remarks on the first day of the training.  

The training entailed in-depth discussions on digital journalism ethics, storytelling, multimedia reporting, narrative journalism, creative formats, hand-held shooting techniques and journalists’ safety and security. The participants, including women journalists from Gilgit Baltistan, shared the challenges they experienced in reporting the GLOFs and floods of 2022. 

Since the Project valleys are highly vulnerable to experiencing climate-induced disasters such as GLOFs, these trainings aim to equip journalists to responsibly report on the experiences of the disaster-affected communities, especially those of women and girls.  

UNDP’s GLOF-II project operates in 16 valleys of Gilgit Baltistan and 8 valleys in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It empowers communities to identify and manage risks associated with GLOFs and related impacts of climate change, strengthen public services to lower the risk of disasters related to GLOFs, and improve community preparedness and disaster response. The project also supports the development of sustainable livelihood options in project areas, with a particular focus on the participation of women in ensuring food security and livelihoods. 

For additional information, please contact Ayesha Babar at ayesha.babar@undp.org  or +92 (51) 835 5650  

 UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet. 

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