ISLAMABAD, Mar 14 (APP): The 4th Steering Committee meeting for the “OliveCulture – Holistic and Multi-professional Mechanism for a Pakistani Olive Oil Value Chain” Project convened here on Thursday, marking another significant step towards enhancing country’s olive sector.
The meeting was chaired by Federal Secretary of the Ministry of National Food Security & Research, Capt. (R) Muhammad Asif and co-chaired by Ambassador of Italy in Pakistan Marilina Armellin, the meeting served as a platform for strategic discussions and collaborative efforts, said a press release.
Marilina Armellin expressed her appreciation towards the work done so far by the OliveCulture Project with the close cooperation of the Ministry and the provinces.
She said the notable and commendable pace maintained throughout the project was acknowledged and valued. The partnership between Italian and Pakistani experts is deemed essential for nurturing olive cultivation and enhancing olive oil production.
Without this fruitful collaboration, the objectives of the project would be unattainable. Capt. (R) Muhammad Asif expressed that the project’s significant success in Pakistan owes much to Italian collaboration. While Pakistan’s environment is inherently conducive to olive cultivation, prior government engagements at provincial and federal levels were limited in their impact.
He said the substantial success was truly realized with the technical assistance provided by Italian partners. The success goes to hard work, effort, and relentless pursuit by Italian experts, and project staff.
Director Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), Islamabad Francesco Zatta expressed his views by paying gratitude to all stakeholders.
He said the support and facilitation provided by AICS were assured for the extension period as well as for the scale-up of this project. This will be exactly aligned with the expected results of the project and action plan already proposed to the federal ministry, he added.
International Expert Dr Costantino Parma elaborated on the project’s financial progress and shared the work plan for the extension period. He underscored the commitment in completing extension phase activities within the designated timeframe, with the assistance of the Ministry and other stakeholders’ support.
Throughout the deliberations, the Steering Committee reaffirmed its commitment in fostering a comprehensive and multi-professional approach toward enhancing the value chain of olive oil cultivation and production in the country.
The Steering Committee approved all the items as per the agenda and decided to extend the project until June 2024.
