Summary
- Pakistan and Italy signed a concessional loan agreement worth Rs6.3 billion on Monday to support a major initiative aimed at strengthening agricultural skills development and vocational education across the country.
- The agreement was signed by Economic Affairs Secretary Muhammad Humair Karim and Italian Ambassador Marilina Armellin in the presence of senior officials from the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, the Ministry of National Food Security and Research, and provincial agriculture departments.
- The project, titled Professional Capacity Building and Extension in Agriculture, forms part of Pakistan’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) National Reform Programme.
Pakistan and Italy signed a concessional loan agreement worth Rs6.3 billion on Monday to support a major initiative aimed at strengthening agricultural skills development and vocational education across the country.
The agreement was signed by Economic Affairs Secretary Muhammad Humair Karim and Italian Ambassador Marilina Armellin in the presence of senior officials from the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, the Ministry of National Food Security and Research, and provincial agriculture departments. The project, titled Professional Capacity Building and Extension in Agriculture, forms part of Pakistan’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) National Reform Programme.
The initiative seeks to modernize Pakistan’s TVET system with a particular focus on agriculture. It aims to enhance professional skills, improve technical certification, and promote innovation across agricultural value chains. Farmers, extension workers, trainers, and other stakeholders will benefit from demand-driven training programmes designed to increase productivity, encourage sustainable practices, and improve livelihoods.
The programme places emphasis on high-value crops and strengthening agro-food value chains. Training facilities will support stakeholders engaged in horticulture production, processing, and marketing, while fostering product diversification and value addition. Crops targeted under the project include olives, pistachios, dates, mushrooms, cherries, grapes, peaches, and almonds. Italian expertise in modern agronomic practices will be combined with Pakistan’s agricultural potential to maximize results.
Over a 42-month period, the programme will deliver 720 training courses, benefiting an estimated 18,398 participants, including farmers, women, youth, and trainers. Eleven standardized training curricula will be developed to ensure consistency and quality.
Infrastructure investments under the project include the establishment of 12 model orchards and nurseries, eight eco-villages equipped with climate-resilient technologies, five agro-food processing units, and two National Centres of Excellence for citrus and date crops located in Sargodha and Turbat.
The Pakistan Oilseed Department will implement the project in coordination with provincial agriculture departments. Officials expect the initiative to generate rural employment, enhance producer incomes, reduce post-harvest losses, strengthen farmer cooperatives, and improve the competitiveness of Pakistan’s agriculture sector.
A press release said the signing of the agreement reflects the strong and longstanding development partnership between Pakistan and Italy. It underscored both countries’ shared commitment to promoting sustainable agricultural development, skills enhancement, and inclusive economic growth through strengthened bilateral cooperation.
