Celebrating Pakistan Agricultural Technology Transfer Activity Successes

Activity Approach

PATTA facilitated productive linkages between local producers, suppliers, governments, academic institutions and other key stakeholders to develop, scale and promote the use of agricultural technologies and practices that expand agricultural productivity, increase yields and improve farm management. These included seeds, fertilizers, water pumps, improved plant and animal breeds, precision agriculture and integrated soil fertility management, among others.

PATTA also promoted agricultural innovation and accelerated the use of modern technologies through collaborations with 788 private sector partners, including micro, small & medium enterprises (MSMEs) involved in agricultural technology manufacturing, assembly, supply and import.

Activity Impact

Enabled agricultural technology-related businesses to expand, adapt, and market their products and services to meet smallholder farmers’ needs.

• Created an Enabling Environment for Increased Agricultural Technology Adoption: A favorable enabling environment for technology adoption is vital to reach farmers across Pakistan with new agricultural technologies. PATTA partnered with agribusinesses and provincial agricultural departments to identify new geographical areas for technology promotion so that technologies could be appropriately and widely adopted. Through these strategic private-sector partnerships, PATTA enabled a conducive environment for investment in agricultural activities that increased technology uptake such as experience sharing in farmer community gatherings, women-centric awareness raising demonstrations, and on-site practical demonstrations.
• Invested in Innovation Through Private Sector Engagement: PATTA stimulated the pace of agricultural innovation in Pakistan by supporting its private sector partners in developing new, targeted solutions designed to respond to the specific needs of Pakistani smallholder farmers, such as reengineering mini tractors with reaper binders to harvest wheat, rice, sorghum, and other crops.
• Built Capacity of Agribusiness Partners: PATTA supported its agribusiness partners to expand their business capabilities and grow by providing technical assistance and business development support in the form of on-site collaborations, field plot demonstrations, and digital outreach through social media and radio. Partners learned how to improve their operations and efficiency strategies by learning about business planning, marketing, environmental, health and safety best practices, livestock nutrition, financial management, and behavior change communications.

Increased smallholder farmers’ access to affordable, appropriate, and effective agricultural technologies:

• Commercialized Agricultural Technologies for Improved Farm Productivity: The slow adoption of technological innovations is one of the major constraints in advancing Pakistan’s agricultural productivity. PATTA improved smallholders’ productivity through the transfer of knowledge, advanced skills, and agricultural technologies in high-value sectors of dairy, livestock, and horticulture. The project supported investments in high-value agriculture to drive competitiveness and increase revenues.
• Linked Agribusinesses with Financial Institutions: PATTA connected its technology-related agribusiness partners with leading financial institutions, enhancing their access to finance and training and transforming their growth through investments that allowed for increased development and promotion. PATTA’s awareness-raising campaigns also encouraged farmers and dealer networks to avail financial products and services, learn financial management skills, and become a part of formal banking mechanisms. PATTA also worked with banks and financial institutions to explore new avenues for agricultural financing and needs-based financial solutions for farmers across Pakistan.
• Supported Women Entrepreneurs in Agricultural Technology Sector: PATTA supported women in agriculture by building the capacity of women-led agribusinesses and expanding access to competitive agricultural technologies for women farmers, boosting their production, sales, and incomes. PATTA conducted awareness-raising sessions to enhance women’s adoption of affordable and effective agricultural technologies through its agribusiness partnerships. These gender-inclusive and women-centric awareness-raising sessions mobilized women farmers to adopt appropriate and innovative agricultural technologies such as mini-tractor, grass cutter, spray machine, calf milk replacer, and calf health and management-related best practices, quality seeds, and improved cattle feed. Improving women’s access to financial services, efficient agricultural products, resources, markets, and new information led to an increase in household-level farm productivity.

Scaled the adoption and use of agricultural technologies:

• Promoted the Adoption of Agricultural Technologies and Practices: PATTA facilitated its agribusiness partners to take their products and technologies to farmer communities across Pakistan, and promote their innovative ideas, practices, and technology usage through on-field demonstrations, mega-demonstrations, expositions, print and electronic media, and awareness-raising events. The practical demonstrations inspired farmers to understand modern agricultural technologies, helping them grow more nutritious food, raise healthier livestock, expand farm operations, and generate higher incomes.
• Promoted American Technologies and Practices: Modern agriculture offers holistic technological solutions to meet the increasing demands of global agricultural systems. Increased growth in demand for high-quality food in Pakistan has created an opportunity for the use of U.S. agricultural products, tools, and practices. PATTA’s investments in developing synergies between American agricultural equipment manufacturers and machinery providers have enabled Pakistani agribusinesses to help farmers easily access new farming technologies imported from the U.S., contributing to better land and labor productivity. For example, PATTA promoted the use of biopesticides developed by Dow AgroSciences and ISCA Technologies to address fruit fly problems and counter crop losses in Pakistan. Similarly, the project promoted the use of U.S.- made High-Efficiency Irrigation Systems (HEIS) manufactured by Jain Irrigation at the various agricultural technology demonstration sessions across Pakistan.
• Implemented Behavior Change Campaigns for Uptake of Agricultural Technologies: PATTA extended support to partner agribusinesses to develop and implement Social & Behavior Change Communication (SBCC) campaigns to generate awareness and improve application of agricultural technologies amongst farmers. A number of ‘entertainment-education’ SBCC tools and interventions, specialized digital media content, information hand-outs, banners and posters, were developed for partner agribusinesses and shared with partner smallholder farmers.

Activity Reach

Activity Successes

Activity Resources

• Factsheet – Overview
• Factsheet – Gender
• Factsheet – Business Development
• Factsheet – Agricultural Technology
• Infographic – Activity Approach
• Infographic – Activity Impact
• Kisan World editions
• List of Technologies Commercialized by PATTA
• List of Technologies Promoted by PATTA
• List of U.S.-based Technologies Promoted by PATTA

Activity Multimedia