The closing ceremony of Balochistan Agriculture Project (BAP) was held in Islamabad.
Launched in 2005, the project endeavored to respect the dignity of the recipient communities in its work and to avoid creating the culture of dependency on assistance.
The Balochistan Agriculture Project was designed and implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations with the assistance of USAID.
10 years later, the successes achieved speak for the effectiveness of its approach. Highlighting the achievements of the BAP, Mr. Patrick T. Evans FAO Representative in Pakistan said:
“This project successfully supported agricultural development in 8 districts of Balochistan in the last 10 years. It has impacted thousands of farm families improving food security and reduced malnutrition. One of the outputs of this project has been Agriculture Development Policy and Strategy for Balochistan, which we are hoping is approved and endorsed by the government soonest so it can contribute to realization of Sustainable Development Goals by reducing poverty, improving food security and natural resource management.”
Mr. Sikander Hayat Khan Bosan Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research , Mr. John Groarke USAID Pakistan Mission Director , Mr. Marcel Stallen FAO International Project Manager and Mr. Abdul Rahman Buzdar Secretary Agriculture Balochistan also spoke about how this project had helped increase the incomes of 17,000 rural households in more than 800 poorer communities in the districts of Killa Saifullah, Loralai, Mustang, Quetta, Zhob, Musakhel, Pishin, and Sherani.
The Balochistan Agriculture Project helped communities and individual farmers increase their production, sales, and revenues for crops and livestock. The project introduced new technologies and practices, improved management approaches, new varieties of seeds and better livestock management, as well as better water management techniques. To introduce these new approaches, The Balochistan Agriculture Project helped communities and individual farmers increase their production, sales, and revenues for crops and livestock. The project introduced new technologies and practices, improved management approaches, new varieties of seeds and better livestock management, as well as better water management techniques. To introduce these new approaches, the project set up and trained community organizations, farmers' marketing collectives, and mutual marketing organizations set up and trained community organizations, farmers' marketing collectives, and mutual marketing organizations.
The closing ceremony was titled “Experience Balochistan” where a group of beneficiary farmers were able to display their products.