Pak, Australia launch projects for boosting agri-production
By Tariq Chuadhry

ISLAMABAD—The Australian Centre for Agriculture Research (ACIAR) has launched two projects aimed at boosting agricultural productivity in Pakistan and Australia.
These two projects are identified as (i)- Optimizing mango supply chain for profitable horticultural agri-enterprises in Pakistan and Australia and (ii)- Development of integrated crop management practices to increase sustainable yield and quality mango in Pakistan and Australia.
The formal launching of the projects were announced during the Steering Committee meeting of the Agriculture Sector Linkages Programme (ASPL) co-chaired by Zorica McCarthy, Australian High Commissioner in Pakistan and Mohammad Saleem Khan, Additional Secretary of Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock (MINFAL) here on Tuesday.
Dr. M. E. Tusneem, Chairman, Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC), Dr. Iftikhar, Member, Plant Sciences Division PARC, Dr. M. Afzal, Director General NARC and high official of Australian High Commission and MINFAL also attended the Steering Committee meeting.
It may be recalled that a memorandum of understanding (MoU) relating to ASLP had been signed between governments of Pakistan and Australia in June 2005 during President, Pervez Musharraf’s visit to Australia and New Zealand. In the follow up of the MoU and supported by the Australian Agency for International Development the above mentioned projects were developed.
Since Pakistani mango is confronted with different types of diseases, which affected its production and quality, therefore, with the technical assistance of Australian side under ASLP the project have been developed keeping in view the objectives such as; (a) to transfer Australian knowledge and the expertise to key sectors of Pakistani agri-business toincrease profitability and enhance export potential; (b) to contribute to poverty alleviation of small-holder farmers through collaborative research and development; (c) to enhance the capacity of the Pakistan research, development and extension system to deliver targeted and practical research outputs, to agri-business and farmers; (d) to improve and maintain mango quality from harvest to consumption; (e) to build capacity in the mango industry to undertake integrated crop management research; (f) to facilitate the establishment of mango nurseries free of specific disease so that high quality planting material is widely available to the Pakistan industry; (g) to develop improve detection and management strategies for mango sudden death syndrome (MSDS) and other major disease and pests of mangoes.
The meeting was also informed that similar projects in the field of citrus and dairy were in the pipeline.