Washington: The World Bank (WB) Board of Governors has approved $535 million in funding for two projects in Pakistan.
Additional funding for the Crisis Resilient Social Protection Program (CRISP) aims to strengthen the nation’s social protection system and increase shock resilience among poor and vulnerable families.
Meanwhile, the Sindh Livestock and Aquaculture Sector Transformation (LIVAQUA) project will promote climate-efficient and competitive small and medium producers in the livestock and aquaculture sector in Sindh.
It is also necessary to help the vulnerable absorb climate shocks through climate efficient technologies and emergency planning. “
Additional funding for CRISP ($400 million) will support program efforts to equip Pakistan’s social protection system with the policy and delivery frameworks needed to respond effectively and quickly to future crises.
The program will focus on long-term policy measures to further improve the effectiveness, coverage and coordination of the federal-provincial national cash transfer program.
“Since its inception, the CRISP program has achieved significant results with ongoing security support to more than 9 million families and rapid response to 2.8 million families during the recent
“Additional funding will not only help families become more resilient to climate and economic downturns, but will also encourage them to take advantage of provincial opportunities to play a greater role in social assistance.”
LIVAQUA ($135 million) will finance activities to ensure climate-efficient production, value addition and market inclusion, and create opportunities for livestock and aquaculture development.
This will include improving industry policy and strategic frameworks, as well as evidence-based decision-making.
It also strengthens the capacity of public and private providers to provide critical knowledge, inputs and services such as disease surveillance and control, diagnostic laboratory services, breeding programs, food security and green technology development and transfer.
The project also includes measures to ensure the participation of female farmers in the project and reduce the gender gap.
