HYDERABAD, Dec 5 (APP):Participants from the public and private institutions Thursday held consultation at Hyderabad for materializing a European Union funded project -Growth for Rural Advancement and Sustainable Progress (GRASP)- in Sindh and Balochistan’s livestock, dairy and horticulture sectors.
The participants shared their findings on specific constraints along the selected value chain and sought advice on identifying best ways to improve competitiveness and produce safe, nutritious food.
In addition, key issues such as producers’ capabilities, public and private support services effectiveness and access to finance were also re-examined.
Agro processors, food retailers, farmers, agribusiness services working in vegetables, fruits, meat and dairy, public support services also took part in the consultations.
Development Advisor, EU Delegation, Roshan Ara said `GRASP was a project of 44 million Euros that would be implemented by International Trade Centre (ITC) after holding thorough consultation by the quarters concerned, a press release received here said.
The advisor said the initiative was aimed at reducing the poverty in the country by strengthening Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Sindh and Balochistan associated with livestock, dairy and horticulture of those two provinces in next five years.
Roshan Ara said the `GRASP’ aligned with the rural development and economic cooperation initiatives of the European Union in Pakistan and it would help SMEs in horticulture, livestock and dairy sectors become more competitive by making improvements at all levels of the value chains.
“Livestock, dairy and horticulture which account for 70 percent of value-added agriculture have particularly strong potential for growth, climate adaptation and increasing participation of women,” the advisor remarked.
Chief, Sector and Enterprise Competitiveness International Trade Centre, Robert Skidmore said the consecutive round of consultations would be provided an opportunity for having fruitful discussions that would eventually improve performance of the prioritized value chains in horticulture, livestock and dairy sectors.
