Pakistan and Italy signed a concessional loan agreement worth €20 million to support professional capacity building in agriculture under Pakistan’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training National Reform Programme.       The project aims to strengthen Pakistan’s TVET system with a focus on the agriculture sector by improving professional skills, technical certification and innovation across agricultural value chains.   Under the 42-month programme, farmers, extension workers, trainers and other stakeholders will receive modern, demand-driven training designed to enhance productivity, promote sustainable farming practices and improve rural livelihoods.   The initiative will prioritise the development of high-value crops and agro-food value chains, with training covering horticulture production, processing and marketing. Targeted crops include olives, pistachios, dates, mushrooms, cherries, grapes, peaches and almonds, drawing on Italian expertise in modern agronomic practices. According to the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the programme will deliver 720 training courses for an estimated 18,398 beneficiaries, including farmers, women, youth and trainers. It will also develop 11 standardised training curricula.    Infrastructure planned under the project includes 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 to be established in Sargodha, Punjab, and Turbat, Balochistan. (ICE ISLAMABAD)

Fonte notizia: busienss recorder