The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has earmarked $600,000 to alleviate poverty in rural areas and mitigate the impact of the drought in Pakistan's Balochistan province, an official statement said. The grant is equally co-financed by the Government of Denmark and ADB. The proposed Balochistan Rural Development and the Drought Mitigation Project will focus on increasing rural incomes, creating jobs and reducing environmental degradation. ADB Country Director in Pakistan Marshuk Ali Shah said that the proposed project would focus on rural development and drought mitigation interventions to reduce rural poverty, especially among women. A feasibility study will be prepared to design a project covering 18 seriously drought-affected districts of Balochistan. The project will aim at strengthening agricultural, crop, and livestock sectors and productivity to increase farmers' income and employment. The statement said the grant would be spent to promote marketing of agricultural enterprises by involving the private sector. The aid will mitigate the impact of drought, focusing on community watershed and rangeland management improvements, as well as water conservation measures using water harvesting and small-scale community irrigation structures. It will be spent on farm-to-market roads and on gender and social inclusion issues.
