Islamabad: The Smart Smart Smart Agriculture (CSA) Agriculture Program funded by the United States in Pakistan was aimed All foreign aid programs in the United States.
The five -year program at a cost of $ 24 million was launched by the American ambassador Donald Blome in November last year. According to informed sources, US officials who manage the project are preparing to leave Pakistan, while national personnel connected to the project are about to lose jobs.
When launching the CSA project at the University of Agriculture in Faisalabad last November, Ambassador Blome had commented: “Together, we are planting the seeds of success.”
The CSA program could have allowed Pakistani farmers to adapt to environmental changes such as unpredictable climate, heat waves, drought and irregular rain. It would have improved access to seed -resistant seeds for farmers, which could support drought and heat, and also increase yields.
The main objectives of the program were to improve crops and food safety, increase climate change resilience, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase income for farmers.
Through CSA, Pakistani farmers had to introduce themselves to modern and improved agricultural practices, advanced machinery to plant and harvest, agricultural drones and sensors, irrigation and farm management software. This could have facilitated the timely diagnosis of crops and potential problems, the conservation of water and land resources, and timely access to markets and capital, thus increasing crop yields.
A USAID announcement says effective on February 7: “All USAid direct rental staff will be placed on administrative license worldwide, with the exception of designated personnel responsible for the critical functions of the mission, central leadership and programs especially designated.
For USAID staff currently published outside the United States, the Agency, in coordination with the Missions and the State Department, is currently preparing a plan, under which the agency would organize and pay the trips back to us within the Thirty days. “
With the closure of the climate-intelligent project that could have assured that Pakistani farmers access the avant-garde agricultural technology to improve productivity, the long and strong association between the United States and Pakistan has come to an end.
Posted in Dawn, February 9, 2025
