Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (Parc) and Pakistan Italian Debt-for-Development Swap Agreement (Pidsa) have signed an agreement for execution of the project "Promotion of Olive cultivation for economic development and poverty alleviation" in a ceremony.
It is to be noted that Ministry of National Food Security and Research in co-ordination with Economic Affairs Division (EAD) has decided to entrust to Parc the execution of the project. The project was approved for financing by the Management Committee of the Pidsa signed in Islamabad on November 4, 2006 between the governments of Pakistan and Italy.
Accordingly, PAFC will act as the applicant in lieu of the Pakistan Oilseed Development Board (PODB), which signed a previous letter of acceptance and Terms of Reference (TORs) with the TSU on June 15, 2011 or the execution of the project.
The project could not start due to the devolution of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the winding up of the PODB. The project aims at increasing the local production of edible oil to reduce the imports and save foreign exchange. Olive plantation will generate direct and indirect job opportunities contributing to poverty alleviation making use of waste, marginal and forest lands and sub-mountainous areas, besides strengthening partnership with private sector for olive cultivation and olive extraction as envisioned mechanism of Medium Term Development Framework (MTDF).
The management of the new orchards as well as new oil mills will be conducted under public private partnership's agreements arranged between Parc and local community based organisation, non-governmental organisations and farmers groups. The project will be implemented in three years in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Fata and Potohar region (Punjab) worth Rs 382 million.-PR
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