IFAD Associate Vice President Mr. Donal Brown, IFAD Director Asia-Pacific Mr. Nigel Brett, Mr. Hubert Boirard IFAD Country Director Pakistan, and Mr. Fida IFAD Country Program Officer arrived in Gilgit for two-day official visit on 17-9-2019.
Program Coordinator ETI-GB Dr. Ahsanullah Mir briefed the delegation about the ongoing projects and about the future strategies of ETI for the success of the program. The team visited various project sites including Danyor, Oshikhandas in Gilgit district and Sher Qilla in Ghizer district. The IFAD team then visited Hunza to meet potato VPG’s at Hoper and Khyber.
The IFAD team then inaugurated an irrigation and land development project in Fitti Das (Sherqilla), Ghizer district. Speaking on the occasion Mr. Donal Brown said: “I’m happy to see the future of agriculture in Gilgit Baltistan, in future the region will be self-sufficient in vegetable production. ETI is doing a great job by using modern means for the betterment of people and I congratulate the whole team of ETI for making the program successful. I hope that after three years when I will visit again, these barren lands will be full of greenery and vegetables. People of the region will get a lot of benefits from these lands because of the assistance provided by ETI”. Chief Secretary Gilgit Baltistan Mr. Khurram Aga also accompanied the delegation. He said that the progress of ETI is deficient without the collaboration of the local community. People of the region can get maximum benefits by supporting and participating in the program. In the future, many families can get benefit from this innovative program of ETI.
The IFAD team visited Baltistan region on on 18-9-2019 where Donal Brown inaugurated a Solar-powered lift Irrigation Project in Gole Skardu. The Regional Coordination Unit Baltistan briefed the mission about the interventions in Baltistan region. The mission also met VPG’s of vertical farming and inaugurated vertical farming structures. Mr. Brown was very happy to see women’s participation in the program and hoped that more female beneficiaries will participate in the program. IFAD team returned to Islamabad on the same day while getting aerial view of Diamer region projects from helicopter. The mission of IFAD was very happy to see the efforts of ETI in making agricultural advancement in the region and also the participation of the local community of Gilgit Baltistan for making the program successful.
