Building Horticulture Value Chains, Reduces Postharvest Losses in Pakistan

The goal of the six-year GRASP project is to strengthen small-scale agribusinesses in Balochistan and Sindh in order to combat poverty in Pakistan.

Building Horticulture Value Chains, Reduces Postharvest Losses in Pakistan

The conclusion of an 8-day capacity-building workshop on “Agri-Business Management and Marketing” held in the Mirpurkhas district on February 14, 2023, revealed that livestock and horticulture farmers have the potential to expand their operations and contribute to the national economy in ways that improve livelihood, maintain resilience, and support inclusive development.

This training was organized and carried out by the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA), Ministry of Industries and Production, in collaboration with the Thardeep Rural Development Program (TRDP).

The education was a component of the Growth for Rural Advancement and Sustainable Progress (GRASP) project. The goal of the six-year GRASP project is to strengthen small-scale agribusinesses in Balochistan and Sindh in order to combat poverty in Pakistan. It boosts the competitiveness of small and medium-sized livestock and horticulture businesses by implementing changes across the entire value chain.

The International Trade Center (ITC) is implementing GRASP, a European Union-funded project for poverty reduction and inclusive sustainable economic growth in rural Pakistan, in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) (FAO).

ITC and its implementing partners are offering technical assistance in the livestock and horticulture sectors, with a focus on a few Balochistan and Sindh districts, to help MSMEs become more commercially viable and to create a supportive policy environment. ”

The training has improved horticulture and livestock farmers’ knowledge of business practises, such as farming business and management, business opportunities in modern agriculture, digital marketing, innovation, and the significance of cooperative business models; concepts and benefits of linkages and networking; and marketing and sales of cooperatives. calculation of cost and price, Concepts and components of a business plan and a business plan for farming.

Additionally, he stated that GRASP aims to develop gender inclusive employment and income opportunities in rural areas by providing targeted assistance to the public and private sectors.

“We look forward to having a built capacity of small businesses of district Mirpurkhas that our training activity would have added value to their overall understanding of Agri-Business Management and Marketing,” says Mr. Feroz Ahmed, Manager Legal and Training Services SMEDA, Sindh.

The participants in this training were very interactive, according to Mr. Naeem Ansari, Project Manager for GRASP Sindh and Balochistan, and the instructors, Mr. Riaz Ahmed Shaikh, Mr. Arjun Kumar Sadhwani, and Mr. Hameed Shaikh, exceeded our expectations in terms of achieving the goals and objectives of this eight-day training course.

The participants’ newly acquired knowledge will help SMEs build and expand their business acumen. Mr. Furqan Hyder Shaikh and Ms. Shumaila Naz, project coordinators from Sindh, as well as Mr. Ghulam Shabbir Jarwar and Ms. Zoiba Shaikh, field officers from Sindh, all discussed the significance of the GRASP project in empowering farming businesses and fostering agribusiness in Sindh.

The honoree, Mr. Chetan Mal, Director of Agriculture Extension, and other dignitaries applauded SMEDA-ITC-EU and partners for launching this training and expressed their belief that such initiatives are essential for advancing local livestock and horticulture businesses and should be continued for the greater good of the country’s economy.