Italy-funded Pakistani Olive Oil Value Chain project aimed to build Pakistan: Ambassador Andreas Ferrarese

Liaquat Ali

Islamabad: Ambassador of Italy to Pakistan Andreas Ferrarese said this week Pakistani Olive Oil Value Chain project, funded by

the Italian government, was started in March 2022 with an aim of building a multi-professional olive and olive oil value chain in

Pakistan to enhance olive production and improve food security through technical assistance and training of the stakeholders.

The government of Pakistan and government of Italy are jointly executing the project through the International Centre for

Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM-Bari), Italy, the Italian Agency for international Cooperation, Pakistan

Oilseed Department and the Ministry of National Food Security & Research with the total cost of €1.5 million.

Ambassador Andreas Ferrarese aid Pakistan has a huge potential for olives. Italy will continue to support Pakistan in olive

production, he added.

The project will also partner with the University of Agriculture Peshawar to categorize varieties of olives and create new ones.

Project Director Marco Marchetti said that preliminary assessments were complete and policy support in drafting of Olive Policy

was provided to the government of Pakistan.

In the first olive harvesting season of the project (September-November 2022), field trainings on good agronomics practices were

provided, along with guidance on olive processing protocols and hygiene safety in Balochistan, Punjab and Khyber

Pakhtunkhwa, told Marco Marchetti.

Marco Marchetti said that the project is taking rural communities on-board in order to streamline the Pakistani olive oil value

chain. Activities to increase awareness of olive culture are also part of the project, he added.