Integrated Marketing Services As An Approach To Sustainable Horticultural Development In Nwfp, Pakistan

Pakistan, a country in South Asia, lies on the equator at latitude 24o to 37o N and longitude 60 o to 75 o E. Its climate is semi-arid. Agriculture continues to be the single most pre-dominant sector of the economy and it accounts for nearly one-fourth of GDP. It absorbs about 46% of the labor force of the country and it, along with small-scale rural enterprises directly or indirectly depending upon agriculture, is a major source of earning for about two-thirds of the rural population. Likewise, its contribution to the foreign exchange earning is substantial. Approximately 80% of the exports are agro-based. The agricultural policy of Pakistan calls for A DIVERSIFICATION OF PRODUCTION SYSTEMS INTO HIGH VALUE CROPS. Fruits and Vegetables are to play a significant role in this strategy specifically in the North West Frontier Province where this sub-sector represent, along with hydro-power and minerals, the main potential for economic growth and development. Major thrust of the national development policy is to emphasise on promoting efficiency and fostering growth through privatisation, decontrols, market liberalization and private sector involvement. In horticulture, the overall development is, to a large extent, due to private sector initiatives. This consideration was in 1988 the starting point for the Pak/Swiss Partnership for joint horticultural development in the name of Pak-Swiss Malakand Fruit and Vegetable Development Project (MFVDP) later renamed as Pak-Swiss Project for Horticultural Promotion in NWFP (PHP). Apart from its main goal of promoting profitability and sustainability of the horticultural sector in NWFP, the common initiative also aimed at fostering ecologically sound and sustainable production practices, at meeting the requirements of resource poor actors in horticulture, and at increasing the women’s share in development. It further envisaged to strengthen partner institutions and to promote the role of the private sector. The project promotes the economic potential of horticultural production, post-production and marketing, which are functions of the private sector. (Continues ......)