The Directorate of Agriculture Extension has launched a pilot project to encourage and establish food processing industry in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), official sources in the Ministry of States and Frontier Regions said on Sunday.
The other objectives of the project launched in South Waziristan and Mohmand Agencies are to utilize agricultural produce for value addition on small scale.
Sources said that to increase Chalghuza production and create market linkages a project has been initiated in South Waziristan, North Waziristan Agencies and Frontier Region, Dera Ismail Khan.
According to sources, there exists a vast avenue for investment in the fields of industry, agriculture, livestock, minerals and forests in FATA and in this regard steps are being taken to expedite process of investment in those areas.
They said that huge reserves of good grade minerals like copper, silver, gold, manganese, chromite, iron ore, barite, fluorite, coal, limestone, marble, granite, emerald, garnet and aquamarine exist in the area. Most common sedimentary formations in these areas consist of sandstone, limestone shale and conglomerates, occurring in south-west.
However, the sources added that in this field, further research and investigations are required and extraction of the proven reserves need huge investment by private and public sectors. But security situation in FATA is not fully conducive and attractive for the investors, they said and added that efforts are being made to take on-board the law enforcement agencies (LEAs) to extend every possible support to geological staff deputed for further exploration of mineral deposits in FATA.
Simultaneously, the sources said, it is imperative for all stakeholders including the federal government to make investments in this field.
Moreover, the sources said FATA Investment Facilitation Authority (FIFA) has taken numerous steps to foster investment in the region and added that to utilize potential sector of minerals, industries and agriculture and to channel financing of FATA Diaspora, FATA Secretariat had carried out a feasibility study for establishment of an investment bank.
Mohmand Marble City has been established and Special Economic Zone (SEZ) Act 2012 has been extended to FATA while the matter has been taken up with Federal government to include Mohmand Marble City under the SEZ Act.
