The United States, in association with its Agency for International Development (USAID), demonstrated the results of Pakistani farmers utilizing new technology to grow high value off-season vegetables at its Vegetable Fair 2014 in Islamabad.
Current Mission Director for USAID Pakistan Nancy Estes laid lime light on the U.S. government’s devotion to develop Pakistan’s agricultural sector: “The produce we see here today marks the introduction of greenhouse technology in Pakistan on a large scale. USAID’s goal is to help farmers establish 1,200 high tunnels and to adopt modern farming practices. These initiatives will significantly transform vegetable farming, increase yields, create more jobs, and help farmers earn higher incomes.”
Numerous participants of the industry displayed Pakistani grown fruits and vegetables and other similar products and services at the fair. Vegetable Fair 2014 united farmers with packing specialists, marketing experts and exporters, which helped them to fit in into the global economy.
This fair was planned by USAID’s Agribusiness Project, which works for the improvement of produce quality and value, higher agriculture productivity, and overcoming constraints to agricultural production and marketing. USAID also aims to provide quality high yield seed, toolkits, low and high greenhouse tunnels, and technical assistance to Pakistani farmers. Farmers are able to produce off-season vegetables by virtue of the tunnels, which results into an immensely higher land productivity and profitability.
The primary objective of the United States is to USAID, enhance and upgrade Pakistan’s agricultural productivity by bringing in cutting-edge farming technologies, services, and practices; constructing irrigation infrastructure; and introducing efficient water management practices. Within a matter of 18 months, U.S aid has successfully paved way for 9,000 new jobs opportunities in Pakistan’s agricultural sector and is expected to create more than $60 million in new Pakistani agriculture export orders.
