Livestock, farm SMEs get Rs0.5m grant

SAFWCO urges rural people to be business-minded to make more money

HYDERABAD:

The Sindh Agricultural Forestry Workers and Coordinating Organization (SAFWCO) has disbursed a grant of Rs0.5 million to promote small and medium-scale enterprises(SME) related to agriculture and livestock in rural areas, under the program GRASP with the support of the European Union, ITC, and PPAF. In this regard, a cheque distribution ceremony was held at SAFWCO head office on Wednesday.

Speaking on the occasion, founder and CEO of the SAFWCO, Suleman G. Abro said, "people of rural areas were cut off from urban society, business and financial institutions, our program aims to include them in the development stream and we want them to be entrepreneurial minded, to promote agribusiness, which would not only make them prosperous but also develop country's economy."

More women, men, and youth should be involved in the business of livestock and agricultural production to earn more money by increasing the quality and value of agricultural products, he added.

According to a statement, member Central Executive Committee of Sindh Abadgar Board, Nawaz Ahmed Nizamani and Central Information Secretary of Sindh Chamber of Agriculture, Mir Abdul Karim Talpur appreciated the program and assured their support to the small agricultural traders. They further said that wheat crop is ready but the procurement centers were not yet established and farmers have not been given bardana. They requested the Sindh government to set up procurement centers and provide bardana.

Speaking at the event, Executive Director of the SAFWCO, Altaf Nizamani urged the recipients of the relief cheques to utilize the funds properly and ensure the involvement of other people in their business. Managing Director of Safco microfinance company Syed Sajjad Ali Shah stated that company will also provide loans on easy terms upon requirements. Finally, cheques of Rs.250,000 as the first installment were distributed among Rukhsana, Nusrat, Bina, Amina, Shazia, Hamida, Rahima and Ubedullah to support small agribusiness entrepreneurs in Hyderabad under GRASP project.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 28^th, 2024.