World Bank Rates $213 Million Flood Relief Project in Pakistan As Moderately Unsatisfactory

The World Bank (WB) has rated the overall implementation progress of the “Integrated Flood Resilience and Adaptation Project (IFRAP)”, of around $213 million as moderately unsatisfactory. IFRAP was signed on 3rd July 2023 and aimed at reviving and enhancing the livelihoods of communities affected by the 2022 floods and strengthening adaptive capacity to future extreme flooding events. The current closing date of the project is 31 December 2028. The project was declared effective on July 20, 2023. Documents noted that significant preparatory headway has been made with the appointment of the Project Director, filling in of Federal Project Management Unit (FPMU) positions, hiring of a Deputy Project Director for PMD PIU, filling in of the positions within the Housing Reconstruction Unit (HRU); physical progress has remained slow owing to procedural delays. The project comprises six components. The first component, community infrastructure rehabilitation will finance the rehabilitation of priority community infrastructure damaged by floods, including irrigation and flood protection infrastructure, water supply schemes, roads, bridges, and small community facilities located in calamity-declared districts of Balochistan. It consists of the following sub-components: The second component, strengthening hydromet and climate services will improve the capability of the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) to generate and utilize hydromet information for decision-making. It consists of the following sub-components: The third component, resilient housing reconstruction and restoration will finance: The fourth component, livelihood support and watershed management will finance the provision of livelihood grants to smallholder farmers and agribusinesses for enhancing agricultural and livestock-based livelihoods and to communities for watershed restoration. The fifth component, project management, technical assistance, and institutional strengthening will finance the provision of support for: The sixth component, contingent emergency response facilitates provision of immediate response to an eligible crisis or emergency, as needed.