ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), on Tuesday, signed two major climate resilience initiatives aimed at enhancing coastal protection and advancing low-carbon agricultural practices, marking a significant step toward strengthening the country’s climate adaptation and mitigation efforts.
The agreements include the $180.5 million Sindh Coastal Resilience Sector Project (SCRP) and the Punjab Climate Resilient and Low Carbon Agriculture Mechanisation Project, valued at $124 million, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Finance and Revenue.
Speaking at the signing ceremony in Islamabad, Secretary of the Ministry of Finance and Revenue, Muhammad Humair Karim, praised the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for its continued support, calling it a trusted development partner in Pakistan’s efforts to enhance climate resilience, sustainable agriculture, and inclusive growth.
He explained that the Sindh Coastal Resilience Project will focus on integrated water resources and flood risk management, restoration of nature-based coastal defenses, and strengthening institutional and community capacity for strategic planning.
The project will be funded through $140.5 million from ADB (including a $140 million loan and $0.5 million technical assistance grant), $40 million from the Green Climate Fund, and $20 million from the Sindh government, directly benefiting more than 3.8 million people in Thatta, Sujawal, and Badin districts.
Karim added that the Punjab Climate Resilient and Low Carbon Agriculture Mechanisation Project aims to boost agricultural productivity and climate resilience across 30 districts of Punjab.
With a total budget of $129 million, the project will be financed through a $120 million ADB loan, a $4 million ADB grant, and $5 million from the Punjab government.
The initiative will provide small farmers with access to climate-smart machinery, introduce circular agriculture practices to reduce crop residue burning, establish testing and training facilities, and empower 15,000 women through skills development and livelihood diversification.
Karim described both projects as transformative, noting that the Sindh project will protect livelihoods, food security, and biodiversity along the province’s vulnerable coast, while the Punjab project will promote sustainable, low-carbon agricultural growth and inclusive development.
ADB Country Director Emma Fan welcomed Pakistan’s commitment, emphasising the Sindh project’s role in addressing climate risks and protecting coastal communities, and highlighting the Punjab mechanisation initiative as a significant step toward modernising agriculture and reducing emissions.
