The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Agriculture Department and the Food Security and Agriculture Center of Excellence (FACE) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to promote agricultural research, the adoption of modern technology and the enhancement of farmers’ capacity. The MoU was signed by Secretary Agriculture Dr. Anbar Ali Khan on behalf of the Department of Agriculture and by COO Hasan Akram on behalf of FACE
Under the MoU, joint initiatives will be undertaken in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to promote olive cultivation, improve olive model farms, address climate change impacts on agriculture and introduce modern agricultural practices. This collaboration will help align the province’s agricultural sector with contemporary requirements.
According to the agreement, the Research Wing of the Department of Agriculture will be transformed into a farmer-friendly, ICT-based agricultural system.
Agricultural training and farmer services will be digitized and it was agreed to further enhance service delivery based on evidence and evaluation.
It was also agreed that FACE will provide technical assistance for the training of departmental officers and field staff, the provision of modern agricultural technologies and equipment, the promotion of climate-smart agriculture, and improvements in data collection and capacity building.
Officials stated that the primary objective of this collaboration is to increase per-acre productivity of small and medium-scale farmers, improve farmers’ incomes, and promote sustainable, modern, and profitable agriculture in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.