October 2008 Balochistan Earthquake

An intense earthquake measuring 6.5 on richter scale hit Ziarat and Pishin districts of Balochistan province affected some 4 600 families and displacing approximately 7 000 people. The earthquake damaged fruit and grain stocks and stores, destroyed livestock shelters and killed animals. It has also affected the local irrigation systems and the landslides have further damaged cereal crops, orchids and other vegetation besides negatively impacting the fragile ecosystem. FAO has appealed for funds through Flash Appeal and UN CERF where the negotiations are ongoing. FAO, subject to funding, plans to procure and distribute 1 000 transitional animal shelters, provide feed and vaccines for some 30 000 small and large ruminants.

August 2008 Flash floods

Heavy monsoon rains caused flash floods in the suburb areas of North Peshawar affecting two-thirds of the cropped area with more than 15 000 livestock killed or vanished and high poultry losses. With the UN CERF, FAO assisted 5 550 most vulnerable flood victims by distributing key agriculture inputs such as seeds and fertilizer, 44 000 chickens and livestock feed.
With US$ 300 000 from Sida, FAO also plans to support the most vulnerable in the flood affected district of Ranjanpur in Punjab province. Process of finalizing the implementing partner and identification of Tehsils and union councils to be targeted is ongoing. FAO, tentatively, aims to target 2 600 families by providing them with poultry birds, poultry feed and equipment, along with, animal vaccines and fodder seeds.

2007 Floods

As a result of 2007 flooding of Balochistan and Sindh provinces, harvested crops, food, fodder and seeds stocks were destroyed and estimated 367 000 ruminants were killed. FAO distributed seeds, fertilizer and livestock input packages to 40 856 families in the six flood affected districts to restore lost productivity of livestock and increase crop production.

2005 earthquake

The 2005 earthquake destroyed crops, irrigation systems and livestock shelters. FAO’s earthquake emergency response comprised of assisting the Government of Pakistan with conducting assessments, policy development and coordinating its relief and recovery interventions with capacity building cutting across all three. FAO interventions enabled the resumption of crop and livestock production for over 260 000 families. In addition, it initiated a medium-term project to build the Government’s capacity to develop Livelihood Rehabilitation Strategy as part of FAO’s emergency response.

Disaster Assessment Preparedness

District Livelihoods Baseline and Contingency Planning One UN Initiative: In partnership with World Food Programme, FAO assists the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) in developing livelihood baselines and contingency plans for selected pilot districts. The aim is to strengthen the ability of national, provincial and district level Governments, NGO and UN agencies to respond better to natural disasters.

FAO in 2008

Based on the perceived vulnerabilities of specific types of disasters, the programme is being piloted in 5 districts i.e. Badin (Sindh) for cyclone and associated floods, Tharparkar (Sindh) for drought, Rajanpur (Punjab) for reverine floods, Bagh (PAK) for earthquake and Astor (Northern Areas) for Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOF). In each of these areas, assessments together with building capacity in Disaster Risk Management will be undertaken for the Government at the provincial and federal level.