FAO Pakistan in collaboration with the Ministry of National Food Security and Research (MNFSR) organized an inception workshop on Developing Capacities in Agriculture Innovation System (AIS) on March 31, 2022 under the EU-funded TAP-AIS project, which aims to strengthen capacities to innovate in national AIS with focus on climate-relevant, productive and sustainable transformation of agriculture and food systems.

The inception workshop objective was to raise awareness on the project’s approaches and expected results and to set the priorities for the project to align it with the Government and other organizations’ efforts to strengthen capacities for agricultural innovation. A scoping study has been carried out to identify key innovation actors and their climate- relevant innovation processes in Pakistan. The results of this study were presented to validate and to identify main entry points for detailed assessment of AIS in the light of stakeholder’s feedback.

The FAO Deputy Representative of Pakistan, Mr. Farrukh Toirov, in his address during the workshop emphasized the importance of strengthening the agriculture innovation system with the involvement of private stakeholders and how this would reap long lasting benefits. The Development Advisor of the Delegation of the European Union to Pakistan, Mr. Roberto Aparicio Martín, highlighted the importance of capacity development and linkage development among stakeholders to achieve the sustainability in the agriculture sector growth. The Head of FAO’s Research and Extension Unit, Mr. Selvaraju Ramasamy, joined the event virtually and apprised the stakeholders on the Tropical Agriculture Platform (TAP) and the global objectives and expected impact and results of the TAP-AIS project. The event was appreciated by all stakeholders, who acknowledged the FAO efforts towards capacity development to strengthen the AIS in Pakistan.

40 participants joined the inception workshop (23 in person and 17 virtually) including key officials from Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC), National Agriculture Research Center (NARC), Provincial Extension and Research departments, Agriculture Universities, Private Sector Agriculture Technology Companies, Service Providers, Representatives from Farmers’ Association, and International Development Organization.

Participants formulated recommendations in different domains including:

1. Define a clear vision regarding agriculture innovation at policy level and alignment of organizational policies, systems, processes, and initiatives with that vision
2. Carry out problem-centred policy development and validation of policies at stakeholders’ level (mainly those policies which drive agriculture research and extension services, public research organizations, academic research, collaboration among public and private sector organizations)
3. Rethink the role of agriculture organizations in innovation processes (e.g. who supports whom and how?)
4. Assess and evaluate the possible integration of private sector innovations using government platforms to maximize scale for beneficiaries
5. Implement digitalization, mainly in relation to agriculture extension services, crop monitoring, access to market for inputs and outputs
6. Build and strengthen functional capacities, mainly in relation to design thinking, creativity for problem solving, Agile and Lean processes, innovation management system.