KARACHI: The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Engro Foundation signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to generate investment opportunities and access to modern information technology for farmers in Punjab.
“The MoU signed today, which will be managed through USAID’s Punjab Enabling Environment Project, highlights the U.S government’s commitment to support small farmers in Pakistan,” USAID Agriculture Specialist Asad Ullah Khan said.
“Our two organizations will work together to connect farmers to the financial services sector to mobilize investments in small farms and create employment opportunities in the agriculture sector of Punjab.”
Through this partnership, USAID and the Engro Foundation will support 5,000 farmers by encouraging micro finance banks to provide loans that will ensure farmers have access to the necessary tools and services needed for agricultural inputs and transactions.
The partnership will also work with the information technology sector to help disseminate agricultural advisory services to area farmers. The advisory services will provide information on cropping patterns, weather forecasts, and farming techniques, which can help farmers adopt practices to increase yields and productivity.
USAID’s Punjab Enabling Environment Project is a five-year, $15 million project which aims to improve the business environment in the livestock, dairy, and horticulture sectors of Punjab.
Engro Foundation is the social investment arm of Engro which aims to improve livelihoods in its communities and in Engro’s business value chains.