PESHAWAR: The U.S. Mission to Pakistan. UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government completed a crop control project of US$ 984, 000 under which more than 4, 000 farmers were provided with alternatives to illicit crop production in the Bajaur, Khyber, Torghar, and Mohmand districts, said a press release issued here on Thursday.
Director of the Embassy’s International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) section Mark Tervakoski, FAO representative Rebekah Bell, KP Agriculture Minister Mohib Ullah Khan, and Director General of the Agriculture Extension Department Abid Kamal participated in the ceremony.
Under this INL-funded project, FAO provided alternative livelihoods to farmers formerly engaged in or vulnerable to illicit crop cultivation. 4, 000 farmers, including 1200 women, received wheat, onion, corn, cucumber, sunflower, and olive tree seeds, as well as training and agriculture machinery and tools– including shovels, spray pumps, tractors, and levelling and harvesting machines to grow high value licit crops.
More than 24, 800 household members benefited from diversified livelihood opportunities, which promote sustainable economic growth that eliminate communities’ dependency on illicit crop production.
“FAO’s partnership with INL and Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been excellent in the promotion of high value crops to create stable sources of livelihoods for the vulnerable communities in the newly merged districts” said Ms. Rebekah Bell Faor.
INL Director Mark Tervakoski underscored the proud partnership between the U.S. government, FAO, and the KP government.
“This project ensured farmers vulnerable to poppy cultivation to other more lucrative and legal crops cultivation opportunities, ” said Tervakoski.
United States and Pakistan have worked for more than 30 years together to reduce the supply of poppy and other illicit drugs by increasing access to alternative livelihoods opportunities for the most vulnerable farmers of KP province.
INL works in more than 90 countries to help combat crime and corruption, counter the narcotics trade, improve police institutions and promote court systems that were fair and accountable.