FAO holds validation workshops in Islamabad

Dr. Jassim Taqui DG Al-Bab Institute for Strategic Studies

Islamabad, 13 December, The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) recently organized two validation workshops in Islamabad.

 

The first workshop was held on “Agriculture Innovation System (AIS): Assessment Findings and Recommendations” in collaboration with the Ministry of National Food Security and Research (MNFSR)  The objective of organizing this workshop was to gather feedback on the detailed assessment results and discuss the way forward and finalize road map for the next phase i.e. capacity building.

 

Assessment of AIS is part of a global three-year EU-funded project aimed at strengthening the functional capacities of National Agriculture Innovation Systems with a focus on climate-relevant, productive, and sustainable transformation of agriculture and food systems. Detailed assessment of AIS was conducted during September-October 2022 by a three-member assessment team comprising a national consultant and members from Agriculture Extension & Adaptive Research Department, Punjab. Seven innovation case studies of different public sector organizations from federal and provinces were studied in four analytical dimensions i.e., functional, structural, capacity, and enabling environment.

 

All the participants acknowledged the results of the assessment and agreed with the recommendations for the next phase of capacity building. They also emphasized the need to prepare an action plan for each innovation case study. Project Advisory Committee member recommended including service and product innovation case studies in specific interventions and also including governance departments as well in the training component of capacity building.

 

Participants also emphasized the importance of strengthening the agriculture innovation system with the involvement of private stakeholders as it would reap long-lasting benefits. Mr. Selvaraju Ramasamy Head, FAO’s Research and Extension Unit (OINR), joined the event virtually and apprised stakeholders of the Tropical Agriculture Platform (TAP) and the Global TAP AIS Project.

 

The event was attended by 25 participants in person and through virtual participation. They included; key officials from the Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC), National Agriculture Research Center (NARC), Provincial Extension and Research departments, and FAO Office of Innovation (OIN).

 

The other workshop was held to showcase the investment potential of various commodities to a broad range of stakeholders including; the Government of Pakistan, financial institutions, resource partners, and leading private sector companies.

 

The Hand-in-Hand Initiative (HiHi) of FAO is an evidence‐based, country‐led, and country‐owned initiative. The Hand‐in‐Hand Initiative represents a bold step to eradicate poverty (SDG 1) and end hunger and all forms of malnutrition (SDG2) by accelerating agricultural transformation and sustainable rural development.

 

The Initiative prioritizes countries where national capacities and international support are most limited or where operational challenges, including natural or man‐made crises, are greatest. FAO facilitates bridging prevailing issues both in terms of strengthening capacities and matchmaking. In 2018, the Government of Pakistan analyzed and selected 33 priority commodities in line with Vision 2025 to identify potential opportunities with detailed feasibility and cost-benefit analysis for each commodity. The report on Cluster Development Based Agriculture Transformation also included proposed interventions, strategies, and policies to transform the agriculture sector from supply-driven to demand-oriented and to be competitive in international markets.

 

To support the Government initiative, FAO Pakistan further shortlisted 20 agricultural commodities in consultation with private and public sector stakeholders and updated feasibility studies. As a next step, a validation workshop was organized to showcase the investment potential for each of the commodities to a broad range of stakeholders including the Government of Pakistan, financial institutions, resource partners, and leading private sector companies.

 

The participants of the validation workshop appreciated the FAO initiative for investment mobilization to accelerate the agriculture sector growth and shared their feedback to further strengthen this initiative. The participants also endorsed FAO's upcoming investment symposium which is being planned for February 2023.