HYDERABAD: To hear their viewpoint and concerns, representatives of the World Bank (WB) on Wednesday held a meeting with the office-bearers of the Sindh Abadgar Board (SAB) regarding the multi billion dollars Sindh Agriculture Growth Project (SAGP) launched in Sindh by the WB around nine months ago.

The meeting was held at the residence of Syed Mahmood Nawaz Shah, a member of the SGAP’s steering committee, headed by the additional chief secretary of planning and development, Sindh. Shah is vice-president of the SAB also. SAB president Abdul Majeed Nizamani, general secretary Zulfiqar Yusfani, Nadeem Shah and others were also present.

WB consultants Malik Saifullah Khokhar and Nazar Hussain Mahar, project director Irshad Ansari and Dr Noorul Haq briefed them about the project detail and how they want to get along with them.

Nawaz Shah brought to the notice of the WB officers that no direct meeting between them and farmers’ representative was held and the project had already been launched nine months ago.

Mr Shah has already brought certain issues to their knowledge, especially relating to procurement of implements to be supplied to farmers in different sectors like rice, onion, dates etc.

The growers raised some important issues before the visiting officers like procurement of machineries which are to be given under the project to farmers. Farmers talked about onion crop of Sindh in detail as the province contributes heavily in terms of onion production.

Farmers shared their experience of pre and post harvest losses in the onion production, especially the issue of sprouting which denies its justified price in the market.

The visiting officers were informed that out of total Pakistan’s onion exports, fifty per cent comes from Sindh alone.

According to Mahmood Nawaz Shah, it was agreed between farmers and the WB officers that a focal group should be formed to be headed by a farmer to oversee issues of the onion crop.

Name of Nawaz Shah was proposed for the group which would have members from the Trade Development Authority Pakistan (TDAP).

The WB officers told farmers’ leaders that they should create some trading platform to develop a close linkage between sellers and buyers in respect of all other major crops.

A online portal was proposed for this purpose for which the WB would assist them.

Published in Dawn, May 14th, 2015

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