PESHAWAR: Italian experts imparted training to farmers on olive farming at the Salahuddin Farms in Manki Sharif, Nowshera.

Experts from Italy are currently visiting Pakistan to share their knowledge with local farmers. They have conducted training sessions in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Balochistan for over 800 farmers under the OliveCulture initiative, a joint effort of Pakistani government and Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) aimed at promoting olive farming and cultivation in Pakistan, a statement issued here on Wednesday said.

Technicians from Agriculture Research Institute, Tarnab, Peshawar, the University of Agriculture, Peshawar, the University of Hazara, and National Tea and High Value Crops Research Institute, Shinkiari, were present at the training session.

The session covered the shaping of young olive plants no older than four years, along with hands-on training in olive tree pruning techniques for balancing vegetation, production, nutrition and irrigation practices.

A delegation from Italy led by Luca Mastripieri, Director General of AICS, also visited the farm.

Director AICS Pakistan, Ms Emanuela Benini, said Pakistan could flourish if farmers followed the training and cultivate olives.

Dr Biagio di Terlizzi, deputy director of CIHEAM Bari, the OliveCulture implementing agency, said Italy was supporting Pakistan in making olive farming progressive and streamlining the entire value chain from farm to table.

The Italian delegation also visited the Peer Sabaq Cereal Crop Research Institute, where they attended a conference. They also visited an olive oil mill where the olive oil gets extracted by a cold press.

Published in Dawn, February 9th, 2023