Agribusiness Support Fund (ASF) during the financial year 2008-09 approved some 763 matching grant (MG) projects as compared to 650 for 2007-08, thereby registering 17.38 percent growth in number of approved projects. The average value of matching grants projects as on June 30th, 2009 was Rs 0.283 million as compared to the figure of Rs 0.285 as on June 30th, 2008.
Similarly, the total value of projects approved during the year was Rs 185.22 million as compared to Rs 184.98 million for 2007-08 showing 0.13 percent growth in the total value of projects, says the annual report of the Fund for the year 2008-09.
Furthermore, additional contracts valued at Rs 13.68 million, for formation of 240 Farmer Enterprise Groups (FEGs) were signed with Rural Support Programmes (RSPs) and Non-Government Organisations (NGOs). Total grants portfolio as on 30th June 2009 was 2,708 projects valued at Rs 500.40 million. This consisted of 1,528 matching grants projects for Rs 433.026 million under the 6 different categories, and Farmer Enterprise Groups projects for Rs 67.373 million for formation of 1,180 FEGs.
The organisation also established relationships with a number of partner institutions, which facilitated an increase in outreach to potential agribusiness stakeholders. The partner institutions included National University of Science & Technology (NUST), University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF), Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi (AAUR), Nestle Pakistan, COMSATS Institute of Science & Technology, Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS). Capacities building and training programmes were conducted and included British Retail Consortium 3rd Party Auditor Training, off-season vegetable production training, agribusiness planning and entrepreneurship and dairy farm management, the report added.
Another success for ASF has been the raising of awareness among stakeholders on international safety standards and compliance to meet consumer demand. As a result of ASF's pioneering role, to-date 72 matching grant supported international compliance certificates (including GlobalGAP, HACCP, British Retail Consortium (BRC), ISO 22000 and Organic) have been acquired by agribusiness growers, processors and traders. ASF interventions have increased the ability of growers and agri-enterprises to respond to sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) and food-quality standards to meet the increasingly stringent domestic and international market requirements, the report further said.
During the year the organisation once again was successful in initiating a number of "first in Pakistan" activities including the establishment of on-farm mango washing, drying, grading and packing units in Multan, establishment of a Banana Plant Tissue Culture laboratory at Tando Allahyar and cost-effective indigenous solutions for problems faced by chilli growers in Sindh.
The Farmer Enterprise Group (FEG) component has proven to be a very effective pro-poor intervention, which has resulted in improved incomes for small producers through capacity building, value addition and market linkages. A survey conducted by an international consultant in December 2008 confirmed that the FEG programme has had a significant impact upon the income of their predominantly poor and landless members. The consultant reported that the activity has also resulted in the generation of permanent employment, not only for FEG members but also for non-member farm labourers.
The process of forming FEGs through non-government organisations (NGOs) engaged in rural support programmes involves intensive capacity building among FEG members, which makes a significant contribution to FEG cohesion and sustainability. ASF support has enabled FEGs to diversify into new, higher value products and invest in improved technologies. It has also acted as a catalyst to subsequent expansion and further investment in technology, helping to ensure the sustainability of the FEGs and their activities.
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