ISLAMABAD: The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Pakistan has convened a national inception workshop to promote sustainable and diverse berry production in Pakistan.
The workshop was held at the FAO Country Office at the National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC), Islamabad, bringing together representatives from government institutions, research organisations and provincial Agriculture Departments.
James Okoth, Officer-in-Charge of FAO Pakistan, welcomed the participants and appreciated their interest and engagement in the technical cooperation project. He stressed the importance of bringing relevant institutions and stakeholders together to support successful implementation.
Amina A. Bajwa, Head of Programme at FAO Pakistan, highlighted the need to expand sustainable berry production in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan. She said the initiative would focus on disease-free propagation material, GIS-based mapping, capacity building, Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) and knowledge sharing.
Dr. Bo Zhou, Lead Technical Officer at the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, said through virtual remarks that sustained investment and strong partnerships with government ministries and research institutions would be important for expanding berry production and strengthening the sector.
Dr. Muhammed Mansoor, Director General NARC, highlighted opportunities linked to climate change, GIS mapping and the testing of diverse berry varieties across different ecological zones. Representatives of the provincial Agriculture Departments also shared their views on production opportunities and challenges.
The workshop was facilitated by Dr. Umer Maqsood, Agriculture Specialist (Crops), FAO Pakistan. Participants included representatives from the Ministry of National Food Security and Research, NARC, NIGAB and the Agriculture Departments of Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan.
The project will follow an integrated value-chain approach, covering the production of healthy planting material through tissue culture, standardised Good Agricultural Practices, farmer capacity building, post-harvest management, processing and market development.
The initiative aims to support a more sustainable and diverse berry sector while strengthening farmers’ technical capacity, production practices and access to markets.
