Promotion of the Production and Marketing of Olive Oil

Country: Pakistan

Nature of funding: Aid

Financing body: Directorate General for Development Cooperation – Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Executing body: Istituto Agronomico per l’Oltremare – Firenze

Summary: Implementation of a GIS exclusively for olive cultivation, specialist missions and training of the counterpart’s staff.

Beginning of activities: July 2007.

In recent years Pakistan has witnessed a constant growth in demand for edible oils which has essentially been met by imported product.

The extent of the demand has induced the authorities, in particular the Pakistani Government Ministry of Agriculture (MINFAL, Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock) through the PODB (Pakistan Oilseed Development Board) to increase the national output of edible oils. This has brought about an increase in the land-area planted with rapeseed and sunflower and also an attempt to introduce new species in order to phase down imports in the coming years. So far, the new species introduced which it is hoped will lead to sustainable domestic production are palm oil, coconut oil and extra-virgin olive oil.

Jointly with PODB, MINFAL launched a project for producing olive oil in the country.

The Pakistani Ministry of Agriculture is presently funding the “Rapid conversion of wild olives into bearing species” project, implemented by PODB, with the following objectives:

• To increase the domestic production of extra-virgin olive oil and diminish its importation from third countries.

• Improve the living and economic standards of farmers.

• Encourage private investment in rural areas, especially infrastructure.

• In general provide opportunities of work to local communities.

The project “Promotion of the production and marketing of olive oil” was launched in order to support the PODB to reach these objectives.

The project ran for twelve months covering one entire production cycle. An extension phase of seven months, started in July 2008, has been foreseen in order to continue some Project activities. All the project initiatives are conducted through the Istituto Agronomico per l’Oltremare of Florence, a technical advisory body to the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs by virtue of its technical and scientific knowledge in olive growing and its extensive experience in implementing initiatives of international development cooperation funded by the Italian Directorate General for Development Cooperation.

The initiatives are monitored and supervised in loco by an international expert in olive cultivation who makes use of Italian NGOs working locally for certain prescribed activities.

PODB makes technicians available in support of the project as well as covering local costs. The DGCS – Ministry of Foreign Affairs provides technical assistance, training and the purchase of the tools necessary for the project to commence.

Beneficiaries of the project

The short-term direct beneficiaries of the project will be trained local technicians and the peasants who will manage the olive groves. The long term beneficiaries will be consumers.

Project Activities

Land suitability

• Data elaboration and production of a work concerning “Land Suitability” for olives in Pakistan.

• Selection of suitable areas for olive growing.

Marketing Study

• Implementation of an olive oil marketing study.

Preparation of a participatory National Olive Sector Development Plan

• Support and technical assistance to MINFAL and PODB for the preparation of a document concerning guidelines for the development of the sector for the next 15-20 years (Olive Sector Development Strategy).

• Organizing regional and national workshops involving all potential stakeholders in order to gather information and relevant points to be inserted in the document.

Technical trainings for local growers associations

• Training on agronomy applied to olive plantations.

• Orchard husbandry including: irrigation, IPM (integrated pest management), fertilization, pruning and all related activities).

• Nursery.

• Harvest/Post harvest.

• Training in olive tests/analysis.

• Processing.

• Oil quality.

Establishment of demonstration sites

• Selection of 10 suitable sites located in different agro-ecological regions for demonstration purposes.

• Installation of necessary infra-structure (fences, irrigation, tool sheds, shaded tunnels).

• Identification, selection, and procurement of relevant/ appropriate cultivars from Italy and Mediterranean area.

Infrastructures

• Procurement of a continuous oil extraction unit to be used for demonstration and training purposes.