Agribusiness Development Project (ADB Loan 2171-PAK)

The project aimed to support agribusiness growth developing a more competitive and sustainable agribusiness subsector in Pakistan. The activities carried out focused in particular on improving access of agribusiness enterprises to business development services, strengthening business development service providers to enhance skills throughout the agribusiness subsector, expanding access to agribusiness finance and developing institutional capacity. In this way, the project aimed to create a flexible private sector service delivery mechanism driven by market demand. The project contributed to strengthening and developing private sector capacity, involvement and investment in agribusiness ultimately leading to a strong foundation for SMEs operating in the sector. Priority was given to horticulture, hortibusiness and interventions to improve the livestock and dairy institutional framework.

Key areas of the project were:

• Agribusiness support service provision,
• Agribusiness finance development,
• Agribusiness capacity building,
• Agribusiness policy and enabling environment development,
• Education and training,
• Regional participation and outreach
• Project management support.