Staff Reporter
Islamabad
USAID- supported Center of Excellence for Olive Research and Training (CEFORT) partnered with Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) and USAID Punjab Enabling Environment Project (PEEP) for organizing seminar on sharing experiences on olive sector development, at NARC Islamabad today. The Project Director “Promotion of Olive Cultivation on Commercial Scale in Pakistan” Dr. Muhammad Tariq, Director General Agriculture Dr. Abid Mehmood and BEE specialist USAID PEEP Mr. Asad Zahoor joined 60 olive sector stakeholders, researchers, entrepreneurs and expert on the occasion. While addressing to the participants of the Seminar, Dr. Muhammad Tariq, Project Director Olive said that “This Seminar has brought olive researchers, experts, farmers and investors together to share experiences and enhance coordination for olive sector development in Pakistan”. The seminar has provided an effected opportunity to olive farmers, researchers and olive related institutions to strengthen mutual linkages besides sharing experiences from across the country. The activity will help stakeholders adopt a shared strategy for scientific research, best olive farming practices and value addition. Dr. Tariq further added that the pace of olive plantation and resources needs to be enhanced considerably and Precious foreign exchange could be saved if olive cultivation is stepped up in Pakistan and the country begins processing its own olive oil to help reduce oil imports.
