Evaluation of FAO’s contribution to Pakistan

Report on the evaluation of Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) was presented at a workshop conducted for its stakeholders in Islamabad.
This evaluation represents the first comprehensive, independent evaluation of FAO’s country programme in Pakistan.
Conducted with the support of FAO’s Regional Office of Asia and the Pacific (RAP) upon the request of the Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research, this evaluation aimed at providing inputs to FAO Pakistan country office in order to better align FAO’s approach to the needs of Pakistan.

Government satisfied with results of FAO evaluation

Mr Sikander Hayat Khan Bosan, Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research, expressed satisfaction with the results of FAO’s evaluation report and said: “Pakistan and FAO have enjoyed 70 years of partnership. FAO has worked for improving food security of Pakistanis and improving livelihoods of the farming community.”
He also said that the results of the report which are in line with the priorities of government of Pakistan will lay the foundation for future programming work of FAO.
The evaluation supports FAO’s accountability to government and non-government partners, communities and resource partners in the country as well as member countries by assessing FAO’s contribution to achievement of its development goals.

Mr Neil Buhne UN Resident Coordinator, Mr Masahiro Igarashi Director of Office of Evaluation, FAO, Mr Omar Awabdeh Evaluation Officer FAO, Mr Nasar Hayat Assistant FAO Representative, members of UN Country Team, representatives from development partners and federal and provincial government departments participated in the workshop.

Challenges in Pakistan

High levels of rural poverty in communities where agriculture remains the mainstay of livelihoods and household incomes is a challenge. In addition, crop and livestock productivity is low, markets are undeveloped, household food and nutrition insecurity is common. As a result, household livelihoods are vulnerable and fragile. In addition, displacement of people from FATA left thousands of families vulnerable and helping them up on their feet once they returned home was a task that required not only expertise but also untiring commitment.

FAO’s Response:

The evaluation report acknowledges FAO’s efforts to rise up to the challenges through its various projects.
According to the report , FAO’s women-focused activities in Sindh, Balochistan and FATA empowered vulnerable women by increasing their purchasing power, and contributed to improving their socio-economic status andincreased nutritional status of the family.
Mother of twelve children, Murad Bibi, who received two sets of chicken on a cost-sharing basis, said: “In a time span of two years, not only did poultry provide nutritious food to my family but also helped me generate income of PKR 93.500 by selling our eggs and chickens. I have opened a bank account for the first time in my lifetime using the money earned from backyard chicken farming. I now tell other women I meet to look at how poultry keeping has changed my life.”

FAO also contributed to the livelihoods of 124 021 families raising sheep and goats in the country by providing preventive vaccination, and controlling Pestedes PetitsRuminants (PPR) outbreaks in the sheep and goat flocks of these families. It also built the capacity of government livestock departments to undertake proper PPR surveillance and outbreak control, and demonstrated preventive vaccination practices.

FAO’s approach to restoring agriculture-based livelihoods in FATA and flood-affected areas contributed to improved absorptive, adaptive and transformative capacities.
For example, a total of 77,200 households (33,143 in Khyber and 44,057 in Kurram Agency) of FATA received this assistance which helped the returning small holder farmers to produce food and earn income for their families.
Future commitment of FAO in Pakistan
This report is important in FAO’s transition from evaluation to identifying lines of emerging priorities in Pakistan. (Country Programming Framework 2018-2022).
Appreciating the recommendations of the evaluation report, Mina’ Dowlatchahi FAO Representative in Pakistan said: “We will continue to support the Federal and Provincial Governments to improve livelihoods of farming communities in Pakistan. We will work to create space and opportunities for women and youth in the agri-business value chain and increasing resilience of livelihoods to climate change.”
In this connection, FAO is running a project to empower women through female enterprise development in the agriculture sector in Balochistan. The objective is to develop and strengthen profitable “enterprises”, owned by women, thus enabling women to earn more money, reduce their daily workload and to invest their earnings by themselves to improve their living.

FAO Pakistan will work to create space and opportunities for women and youth in the agri-business value chain and increasing resilience of livelihoods to climate change.