Overview
The overarching objective of the Australia-Pakistan Agricultural and Rural Development Strategy 2010-2014 (APARDS) was to collaborate strategically to improve rural livelihood systems.
APARDS built upon the effective linkages and good prospects for further technical progress, arising in part from ACIAR commissioned activities funded by AusAID under the Pakistan Agriculture Sector Linkages Program (ASLP). Phase 1 of the program aimed to improve development outcomes for target industries, and strengthen benefit flows to the rural poor. Phase 2 was implemented by ACIAR through three components: pro-poor value chains, agricultural capability and enabling policy.
The overall aim of HORT/2010/003 was to encourage and facilitate pro-poor collaborative development in Pakistan by undertaking the necessary social research. Social research to foster effective collaboration and strengthen pro-poor value chains adopted participatory research and case-study approaches within four industries: mango protection, mango value chain, citrus and dairy. The project also undertook planning and scoping studies with other ASLP teams, agencies and industries to enhance understanding of and opportunities for the poor.
Suitable approaches to the above mentioned issues were developed through engaging with poor and marginalised groups that could benefit from participating in the selected value chains, enhancing collaboration across project teams, assessing information and communication modalities and fostering effective collaborative development in rural Pakistan. HORT/2010/003 was thus be responsible for carrying out the necessary social research to develop a better understanding of the groups in Pakistan, and the drivers of change and adoption within these groups. It also provided valuable input into the design and on-going implementation of the overarching APARDS.
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