the Asian Development Bank is financing the Punjab Climate Resilient Low Carbon Agriculture Mechanization Project to enhance smallholder farmers' access to sustainable agricultural mechanization, reduce carbon emissions through circular agriculture, and provide alternative livelihoods for female farm laborers. A $120 million concessional loan and $4 million grant have been allocated for the  Project to accelerate the province’s transition to modern, disaster-resilient, and low-carbon agriculture practices, benefiting 220,000 rural farm households. The project will help mechanize farming and provide alternative livelihoods for agricultural workers including through boosting the knowledge and skills of 15,000 women. It will introduce a new financing model for farm mechanization service providers to equip small-scale farmers with advanced machinery.   Punjab is the breadbasket of Pakistan, producing 75% of its wheat, 69% of its rice, and 91% of its maize. The province faces challenges due to its reliance on outdated machinery, which leads to significant grain losses. Additionally, farmers are often compelled to burn crop residues, a practice that worsens air pollution and poses serious health risks to the population. To address these issues, the project promotes the adoption of modern agricultural mechanization, such as rice harvesters.    https://www.adb.org/projects/57196-001/main (ICE ISLAMABAD)

Fonte notizia: adb