ISLAMABAD: The World Bank has approved the $76.4 million Sindh agricultural growth project aimed at improving productivity and market access of small and medium producers to important commodity value chains.

The project approved by the bank’s executive board on Monday would benefit about 112,000 farmers, the World Bank’s resident mission in Islamabad said on Tuesday.

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The project intends to achieve this objective by investing in knowledge and technology for producers and sub-sectors of crops and livestock and strengthening public sector institutions to enhance the enabling environment for sustainable growth.

The project focuses on horticulture and milk production since they have significant involvement of women in production and processing and, from a national perspective, Sindh enjoys the greatest competitive advantage in these pro-poor production value chains.

The project will also promote the private sector participation in the agricultural development and sector growth through public-private models for agribusiness development and support services.

The federal and the provincial governments have both highlighted commercial agriculture and market linkages as priority investments for the sector.

Published in Dawn, July 9th, 2014