BY: AHMAD HIJAZI

Internship
07-ARID-575

Report
MBA (AGRIBUSINESS
MANAGEMENT)

Agribusiness Development and Diversification Project

MINISTRY OF FOOD, AGRICULTURE AND LIVESTOCK
GOVERNMENT OF PAKISTAN
 Agribusiness Development and Diversification Project, Ministry of Food
and Agriculture

Internship Report

Agribusiness Development and Diversification Project

Master of Business Administration Program

Name: Ahmad Hijazi

Registration no: 07-arid-575

Specialization: Agribusiness

Telephone: 03339473157

Email: aridian_online@yahoo.com

University Institute of Management Sciences

Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi

Organization Name:

Agribusiness Development and Diversification Project

Telephone No: 051-9210146

Postal Address:

38 west, 4th floor Khalid Plaza Jinnah Avenue Blue Area Islamabad.

Supervisor Name: Amjad Iqbal

Designation: Project Manager (Agribusiness Development and Diversification

Project)

Phone No: 03005905922, 0519210146

Start date of Internship: October -1- 2008

End Date of Internship: June- 30 -2009

Report date: August- 03 - 2009

Internship Report
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 Agribusiness Development and Diversification Project, Ministry of Food
and Agriculture

Evaluation

Ahmad Hijazi

(07-arid-575)

Internship Report

Agribusiness Development and Diversification Project

Internship Report submitted for the final evaluation in partial fulfillment of the
equipments for the Degree of MBA (Agribusiness).

It is certified that, the internship report and the work contained in it conforms to all the
standards set by the institute for the evaluation of any such work.

1. __________________________________________

2. __________________________________________

3. __________________________________________

4. __________________________________________

University Institute of Management Sciences

Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi
(2007-2009)

Internship Report| Evaluation

3
 Agribusiness Development and Diversification Project, Ministry of Food
and Agriculture

Dedication
I dedicate this project
to my parents and
teachers who help me
in every way of life.

&
Also to Mr.Amjad Iqbal
(Project Manager) who
help me a lot in
enhancing my
 capabilities and core
competencies.
Internship Report| Dedication
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Agribusiness Development and Diversification Project, Ministry of Food

and Agriculture

Acknowledgment
All praises to ALLAH Almighty, the mighty and merciful and
beneficent, who has blessed me with knowledge to accomplish the
task of completing this report, give me the courage and allowed me
to accomplish this task. This internship report has given me a
chance to observe the practical work experience, this report has
enhanced and sense of observation.
I’m very thankful to our respected teachers and Director UIMS who
had assigned us this valuable opportunity to enhance our practical
skills. Their inspiring guidance, remarkable suggestions, constant
encouragement, keen interests. Constructive criticism and friendly
discussion enable me to complete this report study efficiently. It is
there kindness that we are at this level of knowledge. I am also very
thankful to staff especially Fida Muhammad, Amjad Iqbal, Amna
Nadeem of Agribusiness Development and Diversification Project,
Islamabad, who has given me lot of support to complete my
internship report. I say thank to all of them for motivating me. All
their efforts are sincerely appreciated. Lets all work together to
build a better tomorrow for generations to come.
 Internship Report| Acknowledgement
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Agribusiness Development and Diversification Project, Ministry of Food

and Agriculture

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Table of Contents…………………………………………………………………….. (6)

Executive summary…………………………………………………………………... (7)

1. Introduction…………………………………………………………… (9)

1.1 Project Background…………………………………………….. (9)

2. Mission of the Project……………………………………………………………. (11)

3. Project Objectives………………………………………………………………... (12)

4. Project Brief……………………………………………………………………… (13)

4.1 Project Components……………………………………………………….. (13)

4.1.1 Agribusiness Finance Development…………………………………. (13)

4.1.2 Agribusiness Capacity Building…………………………………….. (14)

4.1.3 Agribusiness Policy and Enabling Environment Development…….. (14)

4.1.4 Agribusiness Support Service Provision……………………………. (14)

4.1.5 Project Implementation Support and Studies……………………….. (15)

4.2 Project benefits……………………………………………………………. (15)

5.
 Internship Report| Table of contents
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Agribusiness Development and Diversification Project, Ministry of Food

and Agriculture

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Agribusiness Development and Diversification Project is assisted by Asian development

bank and is executed by Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock, state Bank and
ANZDEC. An allocation of Rs.400 million exists for this project. The main objective of
the project is to achieve self-reliance in agricultural commodities, ensure food security
and improve productivity of crops and livestock. The main emphasis is on market
oriented demand based production system which will lead to the increased production
and productivity of crops and livestock sector. Consequently, income of the farmers will
increase and rural poverty will decrease.

The main components of project comprise:

(i) Agribusiness policy and enabling environment development.

(ii) Agribusiness capacity building.

(iii) Agribusiness support services provision.

(iv) Agribusiness finance development.

(v) Project implementation support.

The agribusiness sector is in existence but could not grow and show its share in GNP.
This is due to a large numbers of problems/constraints faced by this sector which kept it
depressed. These occur throughout the product value chain from input supply to
processing and exports, leading to low productivity and value added. The constraints
must be addressed with a comprehensive and systemic approach throughout the value
chain to remove production, market, and institutional failures and rigidities that impede
the development of the sector, and promote demand driven development with maximum
participation of the private sector, including farmers. World agricultural product markets
are demanding increasingly higher product quality, and unless Pakistan's agribusiness
products conform to these standards, the agribusiness sector will not be able to enter, let
alone compete, on world markets under a WTO regime, including imports. It is therefore
imperative that the key constraints in the agribusiness sector leading to its poor
performance identified during the project preparatory technical assistance (PPTA) be
removed, including
 Internship Report| Executive Summary
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Agribusiness Development and Diversification Project, Ministry of Food

and Agriculture

(i) Institutional constraints that include weak or nonexistent public-private

partnerships, weak institutional capacity and poor coordination between
government agencies, and an absence of demand-driven agricultural research
and extension; (ii) market failures that include limited availability of business
development services to small entrepreneurs to support business activities and
to start new enterprises, limited access to finance

(ii) And limited capacity for farmer group formation for agribusiness or agro
enterprise purposes to develop economies of scale, an effective lobby, or
continuity of supply to ensure strong market penetration; and (iii) the lack of a
guiding national policy and long-term strategy aimed at developing a dynamic
and competitive agribusiness sector.

The aim of the Project is policy recommendations within the agribusiness sector
concentrate, on the improvement of marketing and market intelligence, improved product
quality and shelf life through sound post harvest practices, achievement of international
compliance and, promoting the establishment of processing plants nationally to give
greater value addition at source and improving the bulking up, collection and storage of
raw materials. Special attention needs to be paid to the establishment of farmer groups for
effective marketing and collective bargaining, and for them to increase production of
quality raw material through improved production practices and the establishment of
enterprise associations to produce quality brands, through grading, certification, quality
control and labeling.

It has been advocated by the experts and policy makers that the increase of income,
welfare and decrease in rural poverty is possible through diversification in agriculture
sector which would be achieved through the present project. The diversification achieved
through this project will lead to sustainable growth of agriculture sector and full
exploitation of the potential of factors of production involved in agriculture sector. This is
in line with the basic aim and objective of agriculture sector.
 Internship Report| Executive Summary
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Agribusiness Development and Diversification Project, Ministry of Food

and Agriculture

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Project Background

Agribusiness development project (assisted by ADB), Agriculture and Livestock

Products Marketing and Grading department, Government of Pakistan. The project
activities will be carried throughout Pakistan including special areas (FATA, FANA, and
AJK). The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MINFAL) is the Executing Agency (EA)
for the Agribusiness Development and Diversification Project (ADDP) funded through an
Asian Development Bank loan (ADB loan no. 2171-PAK). The Project aims to have an
impact on economic growth in Pakistan through the development of a more competitive
and sustainable agribusiness sub-sector. All the relevant stakeholders, i.e. farmers,
traders, small and medium entrepreneurs, researchers, extension workers, policy makers
and experts of agriculture will be involved. The Project span over a period of five years
(starting mid 2005 and to be completed by mid 2010). The loan agreement was signed
between the GoP and ADB on 14th June 2005 and got effective on 9th January 2006. The
overall cost of the Project was estimated at Rs. 4.066 billion including US$ 31 million of
loan from ADB. The administrative headquarter will be at Islamabad.

Realizing the potential of agribusiness sector, the government of Pakistan with the help of
Asian Development bank has initiated Agribusiness Development and Diversification
Project which will be implanted over next five years.(from 2005). The Project objectives
are to support economic growth and employment generation through agribusiness
development and to develop a more competitive and sustainable agribusiness sub-sector.
The focus of project interventions is on increased productivity, product quality, and value
addition by removing constraints facing agribusinesses that occur throughout the product
value chain from production and input supply to processing and exports. The Project is
addressing the constraint in the sub-sector using a comprehensive and systemic approach
throughout the value chain to remove market and institutional failures and rigidities that
impede the development of the agribusiness sector, and promote demand-driven
development with maximum participation of the private sector. The main objective of the
project is to achieve self-reliance in agricultural commodities, ensure food security and
improve productivity of crops and livestock.

The main emphasis is on market oriented demand based production system which will
lead to the increased production and productivity of crops and livestock sector.
Consequently, income of the farmers will increase and rural poverty will decrease.
 Internship Report| Introduction
9

Agribusiness Development and Diversification Project, Ministry of Food

and Agriculture

The project components are directed, in particular, to provide the policy framework and
enabling environment for agribusiness, capacity building for the necessary agribusiness
support and the provision of business support services to agro-enterprises to enhance
entrepreneurial skills throughout the value chain (from the field to the consumer) and to
provide the opportunity for demand driven research and extension. The aim in this regard
is to create a flexible service delivery mechanism that is responsive to private sector
demand within the provinces. The components will not be directly linked to specific
provincial interventions or pre-set financing limits for each province. It will be on the
basis of “first come first served” with requests for support being bottom up and demand
driven.

The primary focus will be on the horticulture and the hortibusiness, livestock and dairy
development sub sectors which is in line with the country’s development strategy of
diversification into intensive high value crop production that will lend itself to value
addition and labor intensive cultivation for the creation of rural employment and
increased rural incomes. Emphasis has been placed on germplasm and raw material
supply by improving production and yields and enhancing product quality and
uniformity. Without a quality raw material base the country’s produce will be at a severe
disadvantage when the national market has opened up fully.

In the short run, qualitative improvements with reasonable monetary incentives are
envisaged. In the medium term, it is expected that an environment for encouraging
various stakeholders to invest in the sub sector and adopt good practices will be in place.
It is also expected that farmers will be able to realize reasonable increases in income by
minimizing post harvest losses. Without these improvements, it will not be possible to
realize comparative and competitive advantages. These advantages are due to nearness to
markets with increasing demand for quality products, ability to supply during the off-
season, and the sub sector being labor intensive. Given the overall nature of project
interventions that are mainly geared towards realizing quality improvement and achieving
higher value added, justification has relied on the assessment of non-quantifiable
benefits. In the long run, seven years after project completion, it is envisaged that
traditional agribusiness practices will have matured to a more commercialized approach.
 Internship Report| Introduction
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Agribusiness Development and Diversification Project, Ministry of Food

and Agriculture

2. THE MISSION OF THE PROJECT

• The development of modern and efficient corporate sector and capital market,
based on sound Agriculture business that provide impetus for high economic
growth and faster social harmony in the country and to develop an efficient
system in field of agriculture.

• The main objective of agriculture sector is to achieve self-reliance in agricultural

commodities, ensure food security and improve productivity of crops and
livestock. The main emphasis is on market oriented demand based production
system which will lead to the increased production and productivity of crops and
livestock sector. Consequently, income of the farmers will increase and rural
poverty will decrease.

• To provide the policy framework and enabling environment for agribusiness,

capacity building for the necessary agribusiness support and the provision of
business support services to agro-enterprises to enhance entrepreneurial skills
throughout the value chain (from the field to the consumer).

• To develop the marketing chain of agriculture produce because the existing

marketing chain results in considerable post harvest losses and shelf life
reduction. Non availability of suitable crop storage in production areas limits
farmer marketing options and discourages producers from linking direct market
demand with production and supply seasons.

• In the short run, qualitative improvements with reasonable monetary incentives

are envisaged. In the medium term, it is expected that an environment for
encouraging various stakeholders to invest in the sub sector and adopt good
practices will be in place. It is also expected that farmers will be able to realize
reasonable increases in income by minimizing post harvest losses.

• To provide a policy framework and an enabling environment through

strengthening institutions, their enhanced coordination and capability.

• To extend financial, capacity building technical support and services to growers,

farmers groups and entrepreneurs with in agribusiness sector. Enhanced
profitability by adopting best management practices in business and agro-
enterprise by management training.

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 Agribusiness Development and Diversification Project, Ministry of Food
and Agriculture

1. PROJECT OBJECTIVES

• Economic growth through agribusiness development.

• Increasing the production of agriculture sector as a whole.

• Exploiting potentials of non-conventional sub-sectors of agriculture sector such as
horticulture, hortibusiness, vegetable production and floriculture.
• Enhancing income of the farmers.
• Improving production of livestock sector.
• Arresting rural-urban migration by creating employment opportunities in agribusiness
sector.
• The focus of project interventions is on increased productivity, product quality, and value
addition by removing constraints facing agribusinesses that occur throughout the product
value chain from production and input supply to processing and exports.
• Poverty alleviation.
• Skill enhancement in horticulture, hortibusiness, livestock, dairy, floriculture and in
vegetable production.
• Formulation and re-orientation of national policies with regards to above sub-sectors of
rural economy.
• Creation of an enabling environment
• Provision of appropriate support services for agribusiness.
• The re-structuring and strengthening of institutions to facilitate development of
agribusiness,
• Capacity building and enhanced coordination.
• Establishing an Agribusiness Support Fund for the business development services (BDS)
provision.
• Providing cost sharing grants for BDS and enhancing competitiveness.
• Policy framework and an enabling environment through strengthening institutions, their
enhanced coordination and capability.
• Establishing a project implementation and evaluation capacity.
• Emphasis on raw material supply by improving production and yields and enhancing
product quality and uniformity.

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Agribusiness Development and Diversification Project, Ministry of

Food and Agriculture
1. PROJECT BRIEF

Agribusiness development project (assisted by ADB), Agriculture and Livestock

Products Marketing and Grading department, Government of Pakistan. The project
activities will be carried throughout Pakistan including special areas (FATA, FANA, and
AJK). The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MINFAL) is the Executing Agency (EA)
for the Agribusiness Development and Diversification Project (ADDP) funded through an
Asian Development Bank loan (ADB loan no. 2171-PAK). The Project aims to have an
impact on economic growth in Pakistan through the development of a more competitive
and sustainable agribusiness sub-sector. All the relevant stakeholders, i.e. farmers,
traders, small and medium entrepreneurs, researchers, extension workers, policy makers
and experts of agriculture will be involved. The Project span over a period of five years
(starting mid 2005 and to be completed by mid 2010). The loan agreement was signed
between the GoP and ADB on 14th June 2005 and got effective on 9th January 2006. The
overall cost of the Project was estimated at Rs. 4.066 billion including US$ 31 million of
loan from ADB. The administrative headquarter will be at Islamabad.

The Project span over a period of five years (starting mid 2005 and to be completed by
2010). The loan agreement was signed between the GoP and ADB on 14th June 2005 and
got effective on 9th January 2006. The overall cost of the Project was estimated at Rs.
4.066 billion including US$ 31 million of loan from ADB.

1.1 Project Components

The Project has five main components including: (i) Agribusiness support services
provision; (ii) Agribusiness finance development; (iii) Agribusiness capacity building;
(iv) Agribusiness policy and enabling environment development; and, (v) Project
management support. The Project is being implemented in the whole of the country
including four provinces: Sind, Punjab, North West Frontier Province (NWFP) and
Baluchistan as well as three special areas; Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA),
Federally Administered Northern Areas (FANA) and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).

1.1.1 Agribusiness Finance Development

The Project supports the development of financial services, particularly credit, to

agribusiness enterprises that do not have ready access to such services and lack collateral.
The Project supports selected PFIs to develop their understanding of the potential
agribusiness finance market, with a view to enhance their capacity to undertake
agribusiness lending. The component is implemented in collaboration with the State Bank
of Pakistan (SBP) through two consultancy contracts; (i) awareness building and
monitoring package and, (ii) capacity building package.

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Agribusiness Development and Diversification Project, Ministry of Food

and Agriculture
4.1.2 .Agribusiness Capacity Building

Capacity building for agribusiness has an overarching focus on horticulture and horti-
business, but also the livestock and dairy sub-sector. The component seeks to increase the
private sector participation in the provision of services in order to facilitate agribusiness
development and enhance the ability of the country’s private sector to ensure
international compliance. The Project work towards the rationalization, restructuring, and
coordination within the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Livestock (MINFAL) and
among the attached departments/wings with regard to the implementation of WTO
regulations and international quality standards. There are several sub-components within
this component which include (i). Strengthening Private Market Information Service, (ii).
Strengthening Export Quality Certification Capacity, (iii). Strengthening Seed and
Planting Material Certification (iv). Institutional Capacity Building for training of
Beneficiaries, (iv). Farmer Training through ToT and FFS, (v). Strengthening the
Pakistan Horticulture Development and Export Board, and; (vi) establishment of the
Livestock and Dairy Development Board.

4.1.3 Agribusiness Policy and Enabling Environment Development

The component is working towards the development of an appropriate policy and

enabling environment for private-sector-led agribusiness development. In tangible terms
the Project will assist in the development of national and provincial policies to redefine
roles and responsibilities in the agribusiness and horticulture sectors; strengthen the
regulatory framework, in particular for alignment with international standards; and create
effective public-private partnerships to promote sector development.

4.1.4 Agribusiness Support Service Provision

The Project is facilitating increased access to Business Development Services (BDS) of

agribusiness enterprises by financing eligible services for capacity building, including
technical, managerial, financial, and marketing skills. The Project has established the
Agribusiness Support Fund (ASF); a non-for-profit company, to provide funds to eligible
agribusiness enterprises, farmers, research and extension service providers, and BDS
providers. Eligible services for ASF finance include (i) capacity-building and related
assistance to existing agribusiness enterprises and for enterprise start-ups, but excluding
the financing of capital equipment; (ii) support to individual farmers and farmers' groups
for the formation of legally registered agribusiness enterprises that can then obtain ASF
support for other eligible services; (iii) demand-driven research by private or public
sector research institutions leading to increased and better quality production and
improved production processes, or to meet an identified market demand

Internship Report| Project Brief

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 Agribusiness Development and Diversification Project, Ministry of Food
and Agriculture

(iv)Development of private sector extension services to be provided to small-scale

farmers proposing to supply raw materials to agribusiness enterprises; and (v) support for
private sector BDS providers to enhance the availability and quality of services provided
to agribusiness enterprises.

4.1.5 Project Implementation Support and Studies

The Project Management Unit has been set up in Islamabad which is responsible for
project management and implementation of various project activities, coordinating
consultant inputs, reporting, and monitoring and evaluation. In order to implement project
activities effectively, seven project implementation offices have also been established in
four provinces and Federally Administrated Northern Areas, Federally Administrated
Tribal Areas and Azad Jamu and Kashmir. Under the component the Project also has to
undertake a Comparative and Competitive Advantage Study, Livestock Development
Study, develop Environmental Monitoring Mechanisms for agribusiness enterprise and
develop a Project Performance Monitoring System.

4.2 Project benefits

The farmers and traders, businessmen, NGOs, as well as the researchers dealing with
agriculture will be prospect beneficiaries of this project. They will be provided
awareness, necessary information and technical know-how on WTO related issues,
policies and government strategies to deal with the challenges imposed on them by WTO.
In this regards, their rights and duties would be informed to them. Their views will be
sought on various issues of WTO and thus strategies and polices would be streamlined to
tackle the challenges of WTO and gain maximum possible benefits. This approach will
make the project successful
Project Component/Activity Beneficiaries
Agribusiness Support Fund
Agribusiness enterprises 705
Farmers’ groups 1,250
Farmers in groups 12,500
BDS providers 100
Research and extension providers 30
Agribusiness Finance Development
Participating financial institutions’ capacity strengthened 4
Agribusiness enterprises financed 10,000
Employees in agribusiness enterprises (direct) – person years
100,000
Employees in supporting activities (indirect) – person years 700,000
Internship Report| Project Brief
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Agribusiness Development and Diversification Project, Ministry of Food

and Agriculture
 Agribusiness Capacity Building
Entrepreneurs trained
Managerial 2,016
Technical 3,022
Farmers trained – on-farm technical training 25,000
Agribusiness awareness trainees (Government)
Local 3,200
Overseas 20
Provincial and Special Areas Government incremental staff To be determined
Training institute (GCCs, VTIs, etc) trainers trained 816
Extension officers trained 500
Persons trained in flower presentation 140

Note: Beneficiaries under the Agribusiness Support Fund component will also benefit
from financing under the Agribusiness Finance Capacity Building component. As such,
there is some double counting in the above figures.

Internship Report| Project Brief

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Agribusiness Development and Diversification Project, Ministry of Food

and Agriculture

5 WORK DESCRIPTION

In Agribusiness Development and Diversification Project I really enjoyed working with

the staff of the project management unit (PMU) and having a wish to be employee of the
project. It was almost impossible to work in all departments with in that limited time. So
it was suggested for me to work in the consultancy component of the project. It was a
good decision taken for me as the consultancy provides technical assistance to the project
having international and domestic highly qualified consultants working over in the
project. Responsible for project management and implementation of various project
activities, coordinating consultant inputs, reporting, and monitoring and evaluation.

It was an opportunity for me to work with the international consultants as well as

domestic which leads to enhance my practical experience in the organization and
exposure to the environment of highly professional’s persons.

As I have early mentioned that I have worked in the consultancy component of the
project, the detail job description is as follow.

5.1 Consultancy component job description

• The Consultancy named as ANZDEC (an International Australian consultancy)

provide technical assistance to the five components of the Project and to assist the
Executing Agency in project implementation.

• Coordinate training programs and materials for training and development of better
post harvest practices.
• Coordinate training programs and manuals for sampling, and inspection of fresh
fruits and vegetables.

• Help the project in evaluating the market for the information service and
investigate about the requirements of customers including i) the types of
information needed ii) frequency of information dissemination iii) channels for
dissemination and vi) the appropriate price for the service
• Assist the private the project in developing data collection proformas and
reporting formats.
• Work closely with the Department for Agriculture Livestock Products Marketing
and Grading (DALPMG) to prepare training and dissemination programmes
regarding quality standards for fresh fruits and vegetables in line with
internationally accepted quality standards.

• The consultants work closely in conjunction with the Federal Seed Certification
and Registration Department (FSCRD) to develop standards for certification of
fruit tree nursery production (particularly for tropical and sub-tropical fruits).
Internship Report| Work description
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Agribusiness Development and Diversification Project, Ministry of Food

and Agriculture
• Review the current data collection process and systems that will be useful to
generate relevant data, for comparison with baseline/program data, on the issues
and actions that are being addressed under the project.
 • Suggest specific steps, including measures to collect data or undertake studies, to
help to put in place a reliable and acceptable approach to monitor the
implementation of the project activities including a formulation of process
indicators and delivery of the service providers.

• As part of the Project Performance Management System (PPMS) the consultant

run workshops in the provinces primarily to review the project framework and
obtain feedback in the field regarding project output targets and make
recommendations accordingly, if adjustments and revisions are required.

• Review all consultant TA outputs and ensure that information for carrying an
effective monitoring system for the implementation of the program is effectively
collected or collated for the consultant outputs.

• Review all consultant TA outputs and ensure that information for carrying an
effective monitoring system for the implementation of the program is effectively
collected or collated for the consultant outputs.

• Determine the scope of work for the development of four distinct Provincial
Horticultural policies, with particular emphasis on the (i) policy definition and
vision, (ii) institutional involvement and capabilities, (iii) aims and objectives that
will include subsectors and products for growth and prioritization (iv) the focus of
Government support through policy reforms (v) an action plan for implementing
the strategy with key indicators or targets specified with time horizons and (vi)
the prioritization of crops and products for both the national and international
markets.

• Assist the PMU in recommending the compliment and profile of the provincial
horticultural policy task forces and preparing the task force members terms of
reference.

• Manage the task forces in achieving their objective of preparing the draft policy
and present the policies to the implementing and executing agencies and the
provincial governments.

• Liaise with the International Agribusiness Policy Consultant in order to

harmonize the horticultural policies with the agribusiness policy regarding the
overall strategy objectives.
• In consultation with the PHDEB, determine which international markets and
products to study which provide evidence of Pakistan’s comparative and
competitive advantage or disadvantage
Internship Report| Work description
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Agribusiness Development and Diversification Project, Ministry of Food

and Agriculture

5.2 My responsibilities
Under the supervision of management officer maintaining and managing of
consultants and TA office input and output work plans.
Day to day management of the TA office, procurement of office supplies and
other office consumables.

Prepare complete work plan and personal schedule of the Technical Assistance
Component and strongly monitor deadlines.

Monitor all financial expenditures including accounts payable, petty cash, wire
transfers, forecast budgeting and preaudit all accounts on monthly basis.

Management of all resources at the TA office; Manage and maintain accounts,

collect, coordinate and manage all vouchers and expenditure receipt.

Procurement, maintenance and repair of TA office equipment.

Development and management of Inventory of TA office assets.

Administration and review of consultants documents including work-plans,

timesheets and maintenance of files.

In the direction of management officer arranging of domestic & International

travels arrangements including hotel bookings and transportation for the
International and local Consultants, other staff members and then follow-ups with
travel agent/Hotel.

Helps the administrative officer in collecting and submitting monthly timesheet

and progress reports of domestic consultants to office manger.

Keep record of all reports and maintain library (hard and digital).

Make logistical arrangements for office, meeting and workshop.

Submission and follow up on invoices to the Clients.

Help the administrative officer in making Record daily activities on monthly input
summary form and submission to ANZDEC on monthly basis.

Any other tasks related to the administration and management of TA office.

Also work as a Enumerator in the Baseline Survey and Value Chain

Assessment conducted by Agribusiness Development and Diversification project.
Internship Report| My Responsibilities
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Agribusiness Development and Diversification Project, Ministry of Food

and Agriculture

As enumerator responsible for organizing the data collected and was also
involved in the initial screening of data and feeding it to the computer data base.

My big success was to participate in different Training programmes organised for

the enhancing of five components of Project.
 Trainings like institutional development of Agribusiness sector (capacity building
component) and WTO related trainings for the sanitary and phytosanitary.
I have presented different presentations to the team leader and value chain analyst
and project manager on
Agriculture credit Scheme of ZTBL.

Agro based industries in Pakistan.

Constraints/Challenges to Horticulture.

One best opportunity for me was that I have in close interaction with the
international consultants which enhance my internship training and exposure to
international professionals.

Internship Report| My Responsibilities

20

Agribusiness Development and Diversification Project, Ministry of Food

and Agriculture

4 SWOT ANALYSIS OF THE PROJECT

4.1 Strengths

• An agriculture project and Pakistan’s economy is also agro based.

• Strong financial position
 • Good image as it is ADB funded project and also under the supervision of
MINFAL.
• International linkages i.e. USAID, ADB.
• Linkages from gross root level with different clients and Govt organizations.
• Operational area is spread to all four provinces, AJK, FANA and FATA.
• Well motivated workforce.
• Handsome salaries
• Good blend of experienced, dedicated, trained and young work force.

4.1 Weaknesses

• Head of the project has no agriculture background.

• Project resources are not being adequately used.
• Employee’s resources are habitual to come late.
• Unable to implement the formulated policies e.g. Horticulture policy.
• Politics and leg pulling.
• High power distance.
• Top executives turn over.
• No relation with agro based industry (which will help in the promotion and
investment opportunities in agribusiness sector.
• As universities have bulk of experienced people regarding the concerned field, so
it must be enhanced.

Internship Report| Swot Analysis

21

Agribusiness Development and Diversification Project, Ministry of Food

and Agriculture

4.1 Opportunities

• Pakistan is an agriculture country, so a great scope to extend the project towards

other allied fields of agriculture.

• Investment opportunities.

• Employment opportunities.

• Capacity building of the farmers.

4.1 Threats

• Totally dependent on foreign aid.

• Instability of government.

• Subsistence farming.

• Lack of local investment.

• Awareness on the side of investor about agribusiness.

• Non existing corporate agriculture.

Internship Report| Swot Analysis

22

Agribusiness Development and Diversification Project, Ministry of Food

and Agriculture

4 CONCLUSIONS

• I have got practical experience in my internship and this created a springboard

from college life to career life.

• Provided a real life experience with a short term commitment.

• Strengthens background in field of choice.

• Internship created the potential for future work with the company.

• Provided potential work related references and linkages.

• Create an opportunity for networking.

• My professional work experience was developed as:

1. How to work in a dynamic environment.

2. How to prepare professional and project report.

3. The all administration of the organization.

• Linkages and dealing with the international and local highly

professional people.

• In agriculture, agribusiness is a generic term that refers to the various businesses

involved in food production, farming, seed supply, agrichemicals, farms
machinery, distribution, and marketing. By doing internship in this project my
personal findings are:

• Awareness creation: People do not know what agribusiness is and how it is

different from conventional agriculture. so there is a great need to create
awareness by using media, meetings with farmers, and seminars.

Internship Report| Conclusions

23

Agribusiness Development and Diversification Project, Ministry of Food

and Agriculture

• To establish a strong, public, private (industry) relationship. I found that project

has no strong relationship with agro based industry. The organization must
establish good relationship with the people outside of the organization; it will help
in the promotion and investment in agribusiness sector.

• Links with Universities: I hardly saw that project has any link with universities.
As universities have bulk of experienced people regarding the concerned field, so
it must be enhanced.

• Monitoring and evaluation of the project is not proper. There is lack of control
mechanism. It must be improved by implementing appropriate control
mechanism.
• Project head has no agriculture background, so it is difficult to understand
accurately the problems and suggesting solution to certain problems. Project head
must be an agribusiness specialist.

Internship Report| Conclusions

24