US Announces $4.5 Million Agri Program to Help Pakistani Farmers

The United States announced a $4.5 million program for Pakistani farmers to improve fertilizer efficiency and effectiveness. The Pakistan-US Climate and Environment Working Group held its second meeting in Islamabad, led by Sherry Rehman, Minister for Climate Change, and Monica Medina, Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs. Officials and experts involved in climate and other environmental issues issued a joint statement at the meeting’s conclusion. The delegations discussed the consequences of the devastating floods in Pakistan in 2022, emphasizing the importance of building resilience to the effects of climate change. The United States backed Pakistan’s “Living Indus” initiative to restore the ecological health of the Indus River Basin. Both governments resolved to continue deepening their bilateral partnership through the US-Pakistan “Green Alliance” framework,” according to the joint statement. It also said that the “Green Alliance” will assist Pakistan and the United States in addressing current and future climate, environmental, and economic needs, particularly through partnerships in agriculture, water, and clean energy. The two governments made new commitments to collaborate through the Climate and Environment Working Group, it stated, adding that the US announced new programs in Pakistan, including a $4.5 million program from the US Department of Agriculture to improve fertilizer efficiency and effectiveness for Pakistani farmers, the statement added. Added to the above, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has announced new climate-smart agriculture and climate finance initiatives in Pakistan. The joint statement said Pakistan informed the US of the approval of its new National Clean Air Policy and explained its recent waste management initiatives, including those involving plastics. As the 2023 Co-Chairs of the Green Climate Fund Board, the United States, and Pakistan have also pledged to work together to ensure a successful year.