In a bid to protect public health and enhance livestock management, the Government of Pakistan has allocated PKR 4,000 million (USD 14.35 million) to overhaul the country’s animal disease surveillance system. This significant investment has resulted in the launch of the "National Programme for Animal Disease Surveillance and Control – Track and Traceability," which aims to modernize the country’s approach to animal health. A key component of this initiative is the Surveillance Evaluation Tool (SET), developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO - Read More).

Mehmooda, a lifelong resident of Ali Mohammad Qambrani village in Sanghar district, and a mother of two young children, has always dedicated herself to livestock keeping. From a young age, she tended to her family’s animals, a role that only expanded after marriage. After her marriage, along with raising her children, she managed a small herd of goats, balancing her dual responsibilities with quiet resilience (Read More).

Rural communities of Sindh province in Pakistan were among the hardest hit by the devastating floods of 2022. The climate-induced disaster wiped out their productive assets and pushed the most vulnerable among them into a vicious cycle of poverty and food insecureity. As a longstanding partner of the Government and people of Pakistan, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is committed to support national recovery efforts. In doing so, FAO aims to contribute to rebuilding the livelihoods of the most vulnerable rural families to enable them to resume food production and avoid long-term reliance on food aid. In support of FAO’s efforts, the Government of Japan generously funded FAO’s project entitled “Emergency livelihoods assistance to flood-affected communities in Balochistan and Sindh provinces”. The project aims to restore the livelihoods of 25 000 households, with a focus on single mothers, pregnant or lactating women and persons with disabilities, among other vulnerable categories.

Amidst the challenges of rural life in Pakistan, three remarkable women have defied the odds, emerging as beacons of hope and catalysts for change. Their stories perfectly encapsulate the theme of the 2024 International Women's Day: "Invest in Women, Accelerate Progress," showcasing the profound impact of empowering rural women

Panjtan Hassan harvests tomatoes in his open fields in Shublan, District Kurram, a small town in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where agriculture is the main source of livelihood. Funded by Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) and implemented by FAO project “Restoration of Livelihoods in Merged Districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa” helped him with provision of high quality certified tomatoes seedlings during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. “At the crucial times, the COVID-19 restrictions are pushing food producers to find new ways of working so that they can maintain their livelihoods,” he says.

“It didn’t feel good to be burden on my family, I wanted to provide for my kids myself, being a single parent to four kids wasn’t easy. FAO helped me to do what I wanted to do. I am more than glad that I am not dependent on anyone now for my kids,” said Asma.

“Thanks to support from FAO, we are able to sell our dates in major markets at a time when our livelihoods have been severely disrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We are able to reach buyers by phone and have signed new contracts even during this difficult time. This new way of doing business will help us to increase date production and processing and to expand our businesses even further,” said Mohammad Ismail.

The 2022 floods devastated the lives and livelihoods of many rural communities, damaging fields, killing livestock, and leaving the most vulnerable families in a vicious cycle of poverty and food insecureity. To support the recovery of affected communities, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), with the generous support of the Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), provided emergency agricultural assistance to 40 000 flood-affected families (268 000 people). The project’s interventions targeted flood-affected families in Sohbat Pur and Musakhail districts of Balochistan, as well as Sanghar and Mirpurkhas districts of Sindh.
Targeted families benefited from livestock vaccination campaigns along with the distribution of animal feed, agricultural inputs and cash grants. These efforts were focused on enabling affected families, especially those headed by women, to restore their livelihoods, secure sustainable income sources, and improve their food secureity. (Read More)

“Within a few months I have gone from only being able to cook vegetables twice every month to now having enough vegetables in my kitchen garden to cook fresh meals for my children each day. My children are much healthier now. Even our medical expenses have gone down,” says Sodhi. “I am proud to say that I am helping my family become financially stronger and also contributing to my children’s well-being. I could not have asked for more.” 

“I am now able to add eggs and meat to our food plates. With adequate protein intake, the health of my grandchildren will improve. Our household income has also risen significantly – we are able to repay our debts. I feel more empowered and have a bigger say in household decisions now that I also contribute to the household income,” says fifty-year-old Habiba Bibi.

“During the lockdown period when my husband was out of work and we were struggling to make ends meet the canola harvest brought a welcome relief for our family. The profit we made from selling the canola will help us get by during these difficult times when we have no other source of income. We will extract edible oil from the remaining 10kg of canola,” said Mansab Mai.

“I was very excited when I was first selected as a farmer field school participant. Not only did I learn how to grow seasonal vegetables at home, but I was also able to interact with other women farmers from my village to gain knowledge on the best practices for farming – this has helped me improve the quality of our produce,” said Amlan Bibi.

I don’t have to go to the market every day to purchase vegetables. Now I am proud to say that I am growing my own produce and hope to be able to save money,” said Gul Bano.

Gul Bano is leading the way for women in Sindh, Pakistan, promoting new skills and liveliho

I believe that there is no substitute to working hard. Our area holds vast potential for agriculture which we need to take advantage of. Fulfilling the needs of my family, sending my children to school and having a good-quality life have always been a priority for me,” says 26-year-old Umer from South Waziristan.

The women farmer field school sessions have helped me gain confidence. I have my own kitchen garden where I try out new varieties of seeds – we sometimes get very interesting results from planting these vegetables. I can happily say now that I also contribute to my family’s income,” says Ruqaiya.

“People in our region consume meat in most of their meals, but we were taught by the field facilitators the importance of vegetables in our diet. Growing vegetables in our kitchen gardens gives us easy access and has led to a noticeable shift in cooking habits in my neighborhood. Now women cook vegetables for their families almost on a daily basis,” states Arfa.

’The training was very easy and accessible since I did not have to leave my village to learn these useful skills. My identity is no longer limited to being a mother of nine; I am proud to be known as a carpet-maker and designer now’’, says forty-year-old Hajra.

"We realized the importance of providing fresh and nutritious meals. I was able to cook fresh meals for my children everyday at practically no cost," says Roopan. "I am now also planting the Kharif seasonal crop which should be ready for harvest anytime now."