Islamabad: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and Concern Worldwide in collaboration with National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) launched Phase-II of the project “Building Disaster Resilience in Pakistan” (BDRP) with the financial assistance of Department for International Development (DFID) at the inception workshop in Islamabad today.
During the second phase, the project will cover 9 districts in Punjab and Sindh with the addition of KP and will enhance resilience of the disaster prone communities and build capacities of institutions engaged in disaster management.
Chairman NDMA Lieutenant General Omar Mahmood Hayat in address appreciated the success achieved in the first phase of the project. He highlighted the need for collective planning, coordination and collaboration among all stakeholders at national and provincial level to address the challenges that natural disasters present to Pakistan. He mentioned BDRP Phase II will be instrumental in helping reach these goals and will also help in mitigating the effects of natural disasters in Pakistan.
Speaking on the occasion, FAO Representative Ms Minà Dowlatchahi said: “Agriculture sector suffers the most when natural disasters hit. Therefore, building resilient communities against natural disasters is vital for sustainable agriculture development. Phase II of the project will continue with efforts to improve capacities of small farmers, communities and institutions to anticipate and react to disasters and ensure better use of natural resources”
Representatives from DFID, NDMA, PDMAs, line departments, FAO, UNDP, WFP, Concern Worldwide, its consortium allies participated in the workshop.
BDRP project would ensure risk mitigation through risk assessment, improved preparedness, building capacity of institutions and the ability to respond to emergencies. Deputy Head of Office DFID, Ms Kemi Williams and Country Head Concern Mr Mubashir were also present. The key milestones achieved during the Phase-I of BDRP were also presented on the occasion.
