TAXILA: The Attock administration has planned to establish a ‘centre of excellence’ to promote agri-tourism as well as art and craft of rural women entrepreneurs in the district.

The centre will be established in collaboration with various non-government organisations along the under-construction Bab-i-Attock project on 25 kanals.

Bab-i-Attock (gateway to Attock) is being built on Kamra-Attock Road to welcome national and international visitors to Attock.

Principal Scientist Peanut Research Station Manzoor Hussain said Attock was famous for unique-tasting peanuts cultivated on 110,000 acres. He said the rural women produced different varieties of products, but they had no national or international recognition.

Deputy Commissioner Attock Rao Atif Raza, while briefing newsmen on Sunday, said the basic aim of the establishment of this centre was to enhance digital farming and entrepreneurship skills of rural women in sectors of agriculture and cottage industry.

He was of the view that the centre would play a key role in boosting agri-tourism in the district.

Responding to a question, Mr Raza said the centre would be completed with the support of various NGOs, including the National Rural Support Programme (NRSP), Ghazi Barotha Taraqiati Idara (GBTI) and Mehria Humanity Foundation, while Groundnut Research Station Attock would provide technical assistance to the members of the centre.

He said in this connection, paperwork was in the final phase, while 30 to 40pc of the development work for the centre had been completed and the plan was to inaugurate the centre during the current fiscal year.

Responding to another question, Mr Raza said this centre of excellence would be a blessing for our rural women as it would sharpen their farming skills.

“Entrepreneurship and innovative ideas and skills among youth have become the need of the hour to alleviate poverty in the district,” he said, adding that display centres would be part of this project for better showcasing and marketing of groundnuts to farmers and to promote local products through female entrepreneurs.

He was of the view that this project would set an example for other districts for the promotion of home industry and folk products, arts and crafts, as well as agri-tourism.

Mr Raza said an awareness centre for climate-resilient agriculture with the help of Peanut Research Institute Attock would also be part of this project, adding that rural women involved in embroidery would also be engaged with the retail market in Islamabad to fetch maximum prices for their labour and work.

He said this project would also attract maximum local and foreign tourists.

In this regard, a ferry service would be launched in the mighty Indus, which flows across the whole of the 120km western boundary of Attock district.

Published in Dawn, November 6th, 2023