The meeting, chaired by Capt.(R) Muhammad Asif, Federal Secretary, Ministry of National Food Security and Research, Government of Pakistan, and co-chaired by Her Excellency Ms. Marilina Armellin, Ambassador of Italy to Pakistan, served as a platform. for strategic discussions and joint efforts.
H. E Ms. Marilina Armellin, Ambassador of Italy, expressed her appreciation for the work done so far within the OliveCulture project in close cooperation between the Ministry and the provinces. The remarkable and commendable pace maintained throughout the project was acknowledged and appreciated.
Without this fruitful cooperation, the goals of the project would be unattainable.
Captain (R) Muhammad Asif, Federal Secretary, Ministry of National Food Security and Research, said that the significant success of the project in Pakistan was due to Italian cooperation.
A substantial success was indeed realized with the technical assistance provided by the Italian partners. Behind the success is the hard work, effort, and tireless efforts of Italian experts and project staff.
Support and facilitation from AICS were provided for the duration of the extension as well as for the expansion of this project. This will be exactly in line with the expected results of the project and action plan that have already been proposed to the federal ministry.
Mr. Marco Marchetti, International Project Coordinator, provided an update on the achievements of the OliveCulture project. He highlighted the transformative potential of olive cultivation, especially in rural communities with available arable land and those without marginal or unused land, as a means of poverty alleviation. He also shared the effects of climate change and how the project is considering the olive tree as a means of sequestering CO2.
Dr. Costantino Parma, an international expert, described the financial progress of the project and shared the work plan for an extended period. He emphasized the determination to complete the activities of the extension phase within the stipulated time frame with the help of the Ministry and the support of other stakeholders.
During the meeting, the Steering Committee reaffirmed its commitment to support a comprehensive and multi-professional approach to strengthening the value chain of olive oil cultivation and production in Pakistan. Discussions focused on exploiting synergies, optimizing resources, and exploring innovative strategies to strengthen the resilience and competitiveness of the sector on both the domestic and international fronts.
With collective vision and coordinated action, the Steering Committee remains poised to steer the industry on a path of sustainable growth, prosperity, and resilience for the olive industry.
The steering committee approved all points of the program and decided to extend the project until June 2024.
