Pakistan mulls crackdown against locust swarms with help of World Bank

ISLAMABAD: Ministry for Food Security and Research on Sunday announced that they are looking to initiate a program against locust swarm infestation in the country with the help of World Bank (WB), ARY News reported.

According to a notification issued by the ministry on the matter, World Bank has offered an amount of $200 million to fend off and kill the locust swarms overwhelming agricultural land in Pakistan.

An additional $150 million were also promised by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to help the country fight the critters.

The project titled ‘LEAFS’ has been mulled upon by the ministry and a response will be given to the World Bank which is at the helm of the project after approvals.

The notification further states that the ministry in conjunction with the country’s economic affairs team has approved a concept note on the matter.

The first project cycle (PC-1) has also been prepared by the ministry and will present it next month at the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) meeting.

‘LEAFS’ will be the first project of its kinds that aims to provide financial assistance to the country to the agriculture sector in Pakistan, the notification read further.

The project will span over 18 districts in Pakistan and will cost $200 million in total.