USAID to launch ‘Green Cooperation’ to support flood-hit growers in Sindh

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and USAID Pakistan Mission Director Reed Aeschliman after thorough discussions and deliberations agreed to launch a ‘Green Cooperation’ programme for flood-affected growers in the province and work together for the reconstruction of damaged houses and school buildings, as well as for strengthening the healthcare system in the flood-hit areas.

The meeting in this connection was held at the CM House on Monday, which was attended by Chief Secretary Sohail Rajput, Chairman P&D Hassan Naqvi, Secretary to CM Raheem Shaikh, and CEO Peoples Housing Project Khalid Shaikh.

The USAID country chief was accompanied by Acting Deputy Mission Director Xerses Sidhwa and Acting Consul General Liam O’Flanagan. The CM told the visiting USAID Pakistan director that the unprecedented and devastating floods and rains had killed 800 persons, injured 8,422 people, damaged 2,044,844 houses, killed 436,435 livestock, washed away crops standing over 3,777,272 acres, damaged 19,808 school buildings and 1,045 health facilities, and caused Rs95 billion losses and damage to the irrigation system of the province.

He said that financing pledged by donors to date for rehabilitation work was about Rs379.56 billion, which showed a financing gap of at least Rs1,308.44 billion. He added that the significant gap could not be met by the local resources in stressed economic conditions.

USAID Pakistan Mission Director Reed Aeschliman said that his organisation was ready to help growers by providing them support for the purchase of seeds, pesticides, and urea so that they could start their cultivation.

The Planning and Development department of the Sindh government and the USAID team would finalise the assistance programme for the purpose and it has been named ‘Green Cooperation’.

CM Shah said that the World Bank was providing $500 million and his government had spared Rs50 million and a similar amount was being given by the federal government for the reconstruction of the damaged homes. He added that the total cost to reconstruct the damaged houses would come to Rs570.167 billion.

The USAID Pakistan chief told the CM that his team would sit together with the Planning and Development Department officials and provincial housing project CEO to work out a plan to contribute to the reconstruction of the houses.

The CM said that according to an estimate Rs97.84 billion were required to repair and reconstruct 19,808 damaged school buildings in the province. He added that the provincial government would not be able to bear such a huge expense; therefore, donors would have to help the provincial government.

Reed Aeschliman told the CM that USAID would support the Sindh government in the reconstruction of the schools. He added that the USAID and the Sindh government had a partnership in the health and education sectors.

The CM told the visiting USAID team that Rs21.93 billion were required to repair 1,045 damaged health facilities in Sindh. The USAID Pakistan director said that they would help the provincial government to overhaul its healthcare system.

A meeting between the chairman of the Planning & Development Board of Sindh, Hassan Naqvi, and his team was fixed with the USAID team to finalise the modalities for repairing, renovating, and overhauling educational and health facilities in the province.