PR No. 222 Meeting between the Country Director United Nations World Food Programme

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) Pakistan Representative and Country Director Ms. Coco Ushiyama called on the Secretary Economic Affairs Division Mr. Kazim Niaz to discuss government's priorities and various ongoing WFP initiatives in Pakistan. The Secretary commended the recent approval of the Green Climate Fund for WFP's US$ 9.8 million project aimed at building climate resilience in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. He acknowledged that the project aligns well with national priorities and stressed the importance of expanding it to other provinces in the future, as well as upscaling activities in KPK by exploring co-financing options. This climate risk management initiative focuses on enhancing resilience to extreme climate events in flood-prone districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province. The project, led by the WFP in partnership with the Government of Pakistan, seeks to strengthen the technical capacity of the public sector in KP. Its goals include improving flood forecasting, enabling anticipatory action, and providing vulnerable, food-insecure rural households with climate-resilient tools to diversify their livelihoods and achieve financial sustainability. Additionally, the project aims to enhance climate information services, allowing communities to better prepare for and adapt to flash floods through improved flood risk information and local adaptation planning for resilient livelihoods and infrastructure. The project will specifically involve the marginalized groups, including women and persons with disabilities, for access to critical climate resilience measures. With its focus on institutional capacity development, knowledge transfer, and long-term sustainability, this project marks a significant step forward and serves as a model for comprehensive, community-centered climate adaptation. This innovative initiative is expected to benefit over 1.6 million vulnerable individuals on the frontlines of climate change by providing improved climate information services and an early warning system. Plans include installing automated weather and hydrometeorological stations in Buner and Shangla districts, offering tailored crop management advisories, reducing negative coping strategies during floods (such as cutting back on health, food, and education expenses), and involving local entrepreneurs and the private sector. The project also incorporates gender-transformative and inclusive strategies, prioritizing marginalized groups, particularly women and persons with disabilities, to ensure access to information and climate resilience measures. The two also discussed other areas of mutual interest on food security and nutrition and the meeting concluded on a positive note, with the Secretary EAD assuring Ms. Ushiyama of his full support.

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