The Australian government will invest US$ 13 million under its Agriculture Sector Linkages Programme (ASLP) Phase-II to improve living standards of small farmers in Pakistan. The first phase of this programme was launched in 2005 for the support of Pakistan’s agriculture sector which remained successful.
While commenting on the Phase II of the programme, Australian High Commissioner in Pakistan, Margaret Adamson, said recently that it had been the cornerstone of Australia’s support to Pakistan’s agriculture sector.
She also highlighting the achievements of the ASLP Phase I and said it included the uptake of furrow irrigation by nearly 1,000 citrus farmers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, resulting in up to 40 percent reductions in water usage, and the first successful shipment of mangoes to Europe by a farmer’s consortium. The high commissioner informed that Australia was now importing fruit from Pakistan and termed it one of the achievements of the programme.
She said that collaboration between government, business and research bodies, supported by Australian expertise, led by Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) has been a leading force in the dairy, citrus and mango sectors in Pakistan, and has provided a model for future engagement in agriculture and water between the two countries.
Margaret Adamson said that ASLP will be followed by a similar program that will be known as the Agriculture Value Chain Collaborative Research (AVCCR) programme.
Under design at the moment, it will draw on Australian expertise to assist Pakistan improve agricultural productivity, add value to raw agricultural products and improve access to markets for those products.
She informed that the Australian government was investing in a series of programmes designed to support Pakistan’s growth and prosperity. “Pakistan has prioritized enhanced trade and investment with neighbouring countries and there is potential for greater regional connectivity in South Asia.”
“We hope, in turn, this will contribute to improving Pakistan’s food security and nutrition levels, and women’s economic empowerment,” she said.
