Mr. Ashwani K. Muthoo,
Director, International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD), Rome, called
on Mr Sartaj Aziz, Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission here on Monday November
06, 2017 and discussed various achievements of IFAD in Pakistan. Mr. Ashwani
said IFAD, since its inception in 1978 has provided USD 730 million for 27
projects in different sub-sectors in Pakistan. All these projects are aimed at
reducing poverty in rural areas of Pakistan through a participatory approach by
involving the communities.
Director, IFAD also informed
the Deputy Chairman that currently four additional projects were under
implementation. These projects include National Poverty Graduation Programme,
Economic Transformation Initiativen,Gilgit- Baltistan, Gawadar-Lasbela
Livelihoods Support Project and Southern Punjab Poverty Alleviation project
with IFAD’s funding of USD 214.6 million for these projects.
Mr Sartaj Aziz, who himself
was associated with IFAD’s creation, said IFAD is one of the most successful UN
agencies with a noble mandate to help the rural poor of this world. He also
said that IFAD has sponsored and funded more than 1000 projects across the
globe and provided soft loans of USD 20 billion since its creation.
Director, Ashwani said that
IFAD is celebrating its 40th Anniversary next year and emphasized on
the need to enhance Pakistan’s partnership as Pakistan has been playing a
significant role in IFAD’s development so far.
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