PESHAWAR: The US embassy in Islamabad and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Planning and Development Department jointly launched a new development project worth $1 million to provide training to farmers, improve irrigation systems and increase household income in the province.

This US assistance will fund 200 training courses targeting approximately 4,000 farmers, with a special focus on women farmers. The programme will also fund the construction of irrigation systems to reduce flood risk and improve the use of water resources, helping to increase crop yields and improve economic livelihoods.

According to an official statement, this new assistance follows thesuccessful completion of development projects worth more than $6 million that benefited over 44,000 families from the Bajaur, Khyber, Mohmand and Torghar districts since 2019.

US embassy’s Deputy Chief of Mission Andrew Schofer, Director of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) Lori Antolinez, Additional Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah, director general of the Planning and Development Department, KP, and Joint Secretary Economic Affairs Division Islam Zaib attended the signing ceremony in Islamabad.

Andrew Schofer praised the longstanding partnership between the US and the KP governments to curb illegal crop production in the province.

“This investment will provide important skills training for women farmers in merged districts, helping to increase crop yields and promoting economic opportunity in the Mohmand, Bajaur, Khyber and Torghar districts,” he noted.

Published in Dawn, December 9th, 2022