Muzaffarabad: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in collaboration with Planning and Development Department Azad Jammu and Kashmir organized two days Multi-stakeholders Workshop on SDGs- Agriculture and Natural Resources (ANR) on 18-19 April 2018 Muzaffarabad.

This workshop chaired by Mr. Muhammad Shamoon Hashmi Chief Economist ,Planning and Development Department AJK provided a platform to discuss and prepare recommendations around selection of SDGs related to ANR management, finalization of indicators, prioritization of SDGs and respective targets, and preparation of provincial SDG framework.

It was also instrumental in agreeing upon and endorsement of indicators, baselines and end-goals for each endorsed target and paved the way for finalization and endorsement of AJK State SDG Framework.

More than 50 officials from relevant government line departments and UN agencies attended the workshop. Mr. Hashmi from the Planning and Development Department, Government of AJK emphasized on the need for policy coherence and close coordination between all relevant departments to jointly achieve the SDG agenda. He appreciated the integrated approach for achieving the targets relevant to ANR.

Mr. Shahbaz Bokhari, SDG Advisor, FAO during his presentation provided the overview of SDG and Agriculture and Natural Resources Management. Mr. Imtiaz Ahmed, Training Officer and Raja Ajmal Jahangir, Statistician – FAO facilitated the group work and familiarized the stakeholders with the SDG Goals and Targets related to ANR.

Background
At a UN Summit (25-27 September 2015), Members States of United Nations adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at its core. The Declaration of the Sustainable Development Agenda 2030 clearly states that its implementation requires an inclusive approach as the SDGs and targets are integrated and indivisible. Based on this consideration, to translate this principle in a pragmatic manner applying an integrated thematic/sectoral approach a roadmap was conceptualized, which focuses on aligning SDGs for Agriculture and Natural Resources Management – into national planning and budgeting – as an inclusive exercise. The Roadmap and Pragmatic Reference Guide intends to provide an easy-to-understand tool for the overall SDG Agenda at national levels following MAPS (Mainstreaming, Acceleration and Policy Support) Guidelines, and with particular relevance to a thematic/sector approach in case for ANR.