New Delhi – The Government of Norway and United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) today signed an agreement for supporting smallholder farmers, especially women, in the north-eastern state of Assam through a two-year project to address the adverse impact of climate change.
The project agreement was inked at the UN House in Delhi between Ms Elisabeth Faure, Representative and Country Director for WFP in India and May-Elin Steiner, Norwegian Ambassador to India and Sri Lanka, in the presence of Ms. Anne Beathe Tvinnereim, Minister of International Development, Government of Norway. Mr. Franklin L. Khobung, Joint Secretary (NRM/RFS), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Government of India.
World Food Program will work closely with the Government of Assam in partnership with the Department of Agriculture, the State Rural Livelihoods Mission, and the Department of Meteorology and Environment. Moreover, local organisations will be approached for community mobilisation, including engaging with women’s self-help groups and federations.
WFP will also work with the Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research to access their expertise on climate-neutral and resilient farming systems relevant to the project worldwide.
“Supporting communities, especially women, to safeguard their livelihoods and food security against the mounting impact of climate change is a priority for the Government of Norway. The partnership with WFP in India will also create a model for wider scale-up and expand learning in climate change adaptation,” said Ms Tvinnereim.
“The partnership with the Government of Norway is strategic and builds on the substantial technical expertise that WFP has in working with the national and state government and other stakeholders. The project will support vulnerable communities through nature-based solutions and a gender-transformative approach,” said Ms Faure.
The project’s main objective is to equip smallholder farmers with adaptive farming practices, diversification, and livelihood expansion strategies to withstand the adverse effects of climate change in the long run. Assam heavily depends on agriculture, with a large proportion dependent on it. The state is vulnerable to climate risks.
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