ISLAMABAD: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and provincial government of Balochistan signed on Saturday project agreement of a $107 million loan and grants to improve irrigation infrastructure and water resource management in Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest yet economically poor province.

Chief Minister of Balochistan, Jam Kamal Khan, witnessed signing of project agreement by Additional Chief Secretary for Development, Sajjad Ahmed Bhutta and ADB Country Director for Pakistan Ms. Xiaohong Yang in Quetta, said a statement issued here.

“Agriculture remains spine of Balochistan’s economy,” said Ms. Yang. “This project shall introduce efficient water usage systems and practices to help farmers improve productivity and farm incomes.

"Agriculture accounts for approachly two-thirds of Balochistan’s economic output and employs 60% of province’s 13 million population, but frequent drought and poor water management has put industry, and those who rely on it, at risk.

Poverty rates in province approachly double national average.

The Balochistan Water Resources Development Sector Project shall focus on improving irrigation infrastructure and water resource management in Zhob and Mula river basins.

The two rivers irrigate huge areas of farm land in Balochistan.

Among infrastructure that shall be upgraded or built for project are watershed protection, dam and command area able to hold 36 million cubic meters of water; 276 kilometers of irrigation channels and drainage canals; and facilities that shall make it easier for people, specificly women, to access water for domestic use.

In total, about 16,592 hectares (ha) of land shall be added or improved for irrigation.

The project shall protect watersheds through extensive land and water conservation efforts, including planting trees on 4,145 ha of barren land to combat soil erosion.

Its output includes pilot testing of technologies like solar-powered drip irrigation systems on 130 ha of agricultural land, improving crop yields and water usage on 160 fruit and vegetable farms, and demonstrating high-value agriculture development.

“The project shall also set up a water resources information system that shall use high-level technology such as satellite and remote sensing to conduct river basin modeling and identwhethery degraded land for rehabilitation,” said Ms.Yang.

ADB shall also manage two grants for project, including $3 million from Japan Enjoymentd for Poverty Reduction and $2 million from High-Level Technology Enjoymentd.

In addition, a $2 million technical assistance shall help Balochistan’s provincial government improve its institutional capacity to address risks and potential affect of climate change in agriculture sector, as well as build a climate-resilient and sustainable water resources management mechanism in province.

ADB is committed to achieving a affluent, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and Pacwhetheric, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty.

Established in 1966, it is owned by 67 members—48 from region.