Balochistan govt, WFP partner to improve nutrition in Gwadar, Lasbela.

QUETTA -- The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and the Balochistan government signed a partnership agreement for the implementation of Gwadar-Lasbela Livelihoods Support Project II (GLLSP-II).

The project was aimed at improving nutrition behaviours and practices for food-insecure communities in the Gwadar and Lasbela coastal districts, said a handout issued here on Wednesday.

These areas were highly exposed to climate shocks, resulting in lower productivity in agriculture, livestock and fisheries.

Funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the agreement was signed in Islamabad between WFP Acting Country Director in Pakistan Rathi Palakrishnan, and the Project Director, P and D Department of the Balochistan Government Rehmat Dashti.

'I am confident that the partnership between the Government of Balochistan and WFP will help us achieve our joint nutrition targets. I appreciate WFP's efforts to ensure long-term solutions to the malnutrition challenge in Pakistan,' said Rehmat Dashti.

The project will contribute to the prevention of malnutrition through behavioural change interventions on nutrition, building on a nationwide existing programme WFP supports, the Benazir Nashonuma Programme.

As part of the broader Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), the Benazir Nashonuma programme targets pregnant and breastfeeding women and children under two through 484 facilitation centres in 156 districts across Pakistan, including in Gwadar and Lasbela.

The GLLSP-II project will also support these beneficiaries and use the ten operational facilitation centres - six in Lasbela and four in Gwadar- within government health facilities.

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