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PPAF launch project for small farmers in Swabi and Torghar

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund launched a project on “Enhancing Food Security through Strategic Interventions in Agriculture” in 12 union councils of districts Swabi and Torghar of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa The project aims to develop skills and knowledge of farmers on modern agricultural crop practices and facilitate setting up of agriculture value chains for improving livelihoods of small farmers. A ceremony was held in Swabi in this regard which was presided by Speaker National Assembly, Asad Qaiser, also present were representatives from government line departments, MNAs, MPAs and officials from PPAF. On this occasion cheques were also distributed among borrowers of the interest free loan component of the Government of Pakistan’s flagship Ehsaas Program for poverty alleviation.

Lauding the efforts of PPAF and its partner organizations for starting a unique initiative targeting the farmer community, Speaker National Assembly said, “Farmers are the backbone of this country. During my tenure as Speaker KPK assembly, I was closely involved in the agricultural sector. We introduced many projects for smart irrigation system and in future we hope to continue with the same zeal. Innovation in agriculture sector is a crucial and projects such as these will not only provide profitable alternative farming options to local communities but will also enhance their capacities.”

CEO Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund, Qazi Azmat Isa was also present at the launch ceremony. Speaking on this occasion, he said, “Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund has always been at the forefront of empowering people from the underprivileged communities. We are committed to achieving the sustainable development goals on poverty eradication by introducing innovative practices which could benefit people belonging to different sectors.”

Head of Programs, PPAF, Ms Simi Kamal highlighted the need for adoption of modern techniques in the agricultural sector in order to boost economic growth. “Pakistan’s GDP heavily relies on the agricultural sector and small farmers are one of the biggest assets of the country. It is pivotal for us to equip farmers about sustainable practices such as effective water utilization so they can maximize output and use resources wisely. This project shall lay a solid foundation for all of us”

The project which is being implemented by PPAF partner organizations namely CERD and IDEA has been designed to address the critical issue of poor crop productivity and low economic return. As part of the project, activities are planned to ensure efficient water input and improved agricultural value chains. Community institutions will be formed along with establishment of field schools for farmers where they can be educated on sustainable practices. Additionally, modern agricultural enterprises will also be formulated for community institutions.

PPAF is also implementing the interest free loan component of  the Ehsaas program through its partner organizations. Loans worth Rs. 16.65 billion have been disbursed so far to 490,122 borrowers. 45% of the borrowers being women. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa alone, interest free loans of around Rs. 1,249.98 million have been rolled out to more than 39,956 borrowers. The initiative draws funds from the Government of Pakistan, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

In total Rs 42.65 billion have been set aside for 110 districts across the country under the Ehsaas Program. The amount will impact 16.28 million people with 50% women including youth, persons with disabilities, transgender, minorities and marginalized communities. During the next 4 years, as many as 3.8 million interest free loans will be provided to 2.28 million households. In total, 14.7 million people will benefit from this component. The program is being executed through Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) and Akhuwat.

As one of the largest sources of pro-poor spending in the country, the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund is the lead agency for poverty reduction in Pakistan. It embodies the spirit of public-private partnership to address the multi-dimensional issues of poverty with a view to achieving social and economic change. PPAF outreach extends throughout Pakistan as it has partnered with 130 organizations working in over 100,000 villages/settlements with more than 133,000 community organizations and 440,000 credit/common interest groups at the grassroots level in 137 districts.

 

 

 

 

 

IBA-CICT to participate in Digital Pakistan Conference as an Academic Strategic Partner

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) The Institute of Business Administration, Karachi’s Center for Information and Communication Technology (IBA-CICT) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with AMFCO Technologies to participate as an academic strategic partner in the Digital Pakistan Conference. The conference will be held on April 15, 2020 at a private hotel in Karachi. The ceremony was attended by C-level executives from a number of organizations.

Sharing his views on this occasion, Director IBA ICT and CICT, Imran Batada said, “As we know that the world has entered into the fourth revolution which is driven by new technologies such as Big Data, Artificial Intelligence, Block Chain, Internet of Things (IoT), Machine Learning etc, therefore, it is high time for Pakistan to bridge the gap in order to achieve the goals. Digital Pakistan Conference is not ‘just-another-conference’ but through this platform we would like to contribute to the government’s agenda of digitalizing Pakistan.”

CEO AMFCO Technologies, Maroof Ayub said, “Digital Pakistan Conference envisions a digital Pakistan which will be characterized with e-governance, digital schilling and its implementation, and utilization of latest technologies. We are really glad to collaborate with the IBA, Karachi for the first time to organize this conference. We hope that this conference will provide digital awakening in Pakistan.”

Digital Pakistan Conference will aspire globally successful entrepreneurs, technology experts, and leaders, and help in bringing them together to showcase the potential of Pakistan as a tech-hub. The conference will explore five main pillars of digitization in Pakistan including: 1) Access and Connectivity, 2) Digital Infrastructure, 3) E-Governance, 4) Digital Skilling and Literacy, 5) Innovation and Entrepreneurship. These pillars can play a pivotal role in the overall socioeconomic growth of the country. The conference will provide a platform where participants can not only share their ideas with each other, but will also provide guidelines for the government’s various projects.

The ceremony concluded with a group discussion

where the attendees shared ideas with each other.

 

ACCA highlights investment opportunities in Pakistan at Davos, stresses on sustainability and inclusivity  

Senior representatives from ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) are in Davos promoting investment opportunities in Pakistan in emerging sectors such as Shared Services and outsourcing, pushing for sustainable business practices, and focusing on the value of the accountancy profession in Pakistan and beyond at the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting, 21—24 January 2020 in Davos, Switzerland.

ACCA’s head of Pakistan, Sajjeed Aslam, Global head of public affairs, Anthony Walters, Council Member Ayla Majid FCCA, senior ACCA member Kabeer Naqvi FCCA, and the CEO of its Approved Learning Partner, TMUC, Chaudhry Faisal Mushtaq TI are among the key profiles representing ACCA, in addition to partner employers from Pakistan, including the Founder of Akhuwat Foundation, Dr Amjad Saqib, Wajid Mirza, Partner, Arthur Lawrence, and Irfan Muneer, Director, Din Leather (Pvt) Ltd.

ACCA’s head of Pakistan, Sajjeed Aslam is building conversations at various events in Davos-Klosters elaborating Pakistan’s potential for becoming a hub of global outsourcing and Shared Service Centres, as well as sharing the exciting economic opportunities resulting from the ongoing and planned projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Sajjeed emphasised that Pakistan is home to 4th fastest growing freelance community, and we have we’ve the 6th largest pool of engineers, finance professionals trained on global standards, and talented IT experts positioning Pakistan perfectly for becoming a hub for Shared Services.

At the main event of World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, ACCA’s global Council Member from Pakistan and newly appointed Board Member, Ayla Majid FCCA is scheduled to moderate a high profile panel discussion on global risks and environmental challenges under the theme ‘How to Save the Planet’ featuring contributions from global leaders. The Highlight speakers under this theme include Justin Trudeau, Angela Merkel, Christine Lagarde, Deepika Padukone, and Greta Thunberg. Sweden’s Foreign Minister Ann Linde, Alison Martin, CEO, Zurich Insurance Group, Eric Parrado, Chief Economist, Inter-American Development Bank, Peter Brabeck-Letmathe, VC – Board of Trustees, WEF, and Salvador Gomez-Colon, Founder, Light and Hope for Puerto Rico are among the panellist who will be answering Ayla’s questions on climate change and sustainable business practices.

Ayla Majid FCCA is part of World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Energy and has written extensively on renewable energy and environmental sustainability.

In addition to engagements at the main event, ACCA is participating at the Pakistan Pavilion set up by the Pathfinder Group and Martin Dow. Under the leadership of Ikram Sehgal and Ali Akhai, Pakistan Pavilion is hosting influential world leaders and policy makers and engaging them on numerous forwarding-thinking conversation themes, including Prime Minister Imran Khan.

“Pakistan has all the right ingredients to become a hub of global trade, innovation and entrepreneurship. We have the best talent in accountancy and finance. And as a nation we have an appetite for entrepreneurship and growth that bodes well for the future. b. With foreign investment in CPEC projects and global brands setting up their Shared Service centres in Pakistan, we can surely enter an unprecedented era of economic uplift. For that to happen, we need strong presence in platforms like WEF pushing the accountancy profession and Pakistan’s case, and the role of Martin Dow and Pathfinder group is highly appreciable.” – Sajjeed Aslam, head of ACCA Pakistan

ACCA’s presence in Davos is aimed at attracting more interest in CPEC by global business leaders to amplify its economic impact for our country. ACCA has done extensive research on CPEC in Pakistan and has produced highly useful global thought leadership on China’s Belt and Road Initiative in partnership with organisations such as Shanghai Stock Exchange, Singapore Accountancy Commission, Shanghai National Accounting Institute, EY, Deloitte, Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), and Pakistan-China Institute.

ACCA member Kabeer Naqvi FCCA, CEO, U Microfinance Bank spoke at a dinner organised at the Pakistan Pavilion and focused on how they are working towards promoting financial inclusion in the country and making a difference in the lives of millions of micro entrepreneurs who did not have the fundamental access to capital before the development of micro-finance industry in the country. Other speakers at the dinner included Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, Sajjeed Aslam, head of ACCA Pakistan, and Governor State Bank of Pakistan Reza Baqir.

“When it comes to encouraging collaborative action on the most pressing issues facing our planet and all its inhabitants, ACCA has always been at the forefront, and leading the way. To continue representing accountancy profession at the global stage and sharing our rich, future-focused insights and forward-thinking policy recommendations, we’re in Davos this week pushing for a fairer, sustainable and inclusive world.” – Ayla Majid FCCA, Council Member, ACCA

With over 677 speakers from across the globe, The World Economic Forum is one the most popular platforms for leaders to come together to address the most pressing issues facing our world today. ACCA’s presence will mean that high profile investors are more informed on the exciting opportunities that our economy offer and get help in building meaningful partnerships with key stakeholders using ACCA’s diverse network.

With more than 219,000 fully qualified members and 527,000 students worldwide, ACCA is the world’s leading body for professional accountants which uses its unrivalled connections across the world to connect people with fulfilling careers, organisations with the best finance talent, and economies with the ingredients for growth.