Black Persimmon-Black Gold

Black Persimmon (BP) is one of locally produced wild fruits in UCs Madyan & Bishigram, district Swat.

Against its potential, total annual income of 3,445 household, with 287,600 fruit bearing and non

bearing trees, associated with black persimmon in these UCs is approx PKR 40 million, which is very low.

Producers of BP had limited skills & capacities to manage their product with improved practices,

technical skills and get higher profit through proper marketing. PEACE programme organized and

supported 629 black persimmon producers from 26 Business Interest Groups. Through collective

marketing, improved practices and packing/packaging, 100% increase (from PKR 25 to 50/kg) has been

observed.

Quality rice seed for improved production and incomes

In Malakand division total cultivable area under rice is 50 thousand acre with an average existing

production of 2 tons per acre (Crop statistic KP 2010–11) against potential up to 9 tons per acre. Keeping

in view, potential and importance, certified rice seed production value chain was prioritized & 30 rice

farmers were involved in district Malakand, lower & upper Dir. Rice producer’s needs were assessed &

tailor made technical support/trainings were organized in collaboration of ARI Swat, AED of respective

districts & FSCRD. Through inputs of PEACE and these institutions, at least 81 % increase in yield and 156

% increase in income of BIGs members was recorded. In addition, 72 tons quality certified seed of rice

produced will meet 7,220 acre rice cultivation seed requirements (14 % of total demand) next season.

Grass producing gross

Farmers in district Buner who used to sell lemon grass; an aromatic drought resistant crop for a mere Rs.

40-45 per kilogram until very recently, can now command double the amount due to support provided

through value chain development interventions carried out under PEACE programme. With little

knowledge of improved farming practices, use of technology or access to potential markets, earnings

from lemon grass for local farmers remained low. Forty one year old Mehboob Khan is just one of the

hundred of farmers who have benefited from membership of Business Interest Groups (BIGs) set up by

SRSP in Buner. Capacity of these groups through tailor made trainings has been enhanced followed by

exposure visits to NARC, PCSIR and whole sale markets in Islamabad and Peshawar. As a direct result of

interventions, lemon grass cultivators have seen a significant improvement in their production and

earnings. Mehboob, alone, was able to produce over 5 tonnes of lemon grass earning a net profit of PKR

157,500.

Glade produced in Kalam and Dir Upper Majority of farming community in Swat and Dir Upper have small land holdings and dependent on agriculture as one of the main sources of their livelihoods. The farming system is based on traditional practices confined to cultivation of cereal crops only. Off season vegetables production is introduced in recent past as cash crop, which had enhanced farmer’s income many folds, but still income per unit area is far less than prevailing potential of the area. PEACE project conducted a quick market analysis and identified sub sector floriculture having tremendous potential to be introduced in farming system of selected UCs. Gladiolus (Cut flowers) off season production and marketing was prioritized as a potential value chain by local farmers organized as glades Business Interest Groups (BIGs). The BIGs members were technically trained in pre and post harvest management and in skills to run glades as an enterprise. A field practical manual was developed for guidance of field team to facilitate production cycle successfully. High quality corms were procured from authentic source and provided to BIGs for demonstration with technical support from experts of the Government Agriculture Research Institute (ARI) Swat. Fifty demonstrations were established with 4 BIGs in upper Swat and 2 BIGs in upper Dir with a control plot of its traditional practice of farming. All demonstrations are progressing very well and 1st batch of 1,000 glades were taken to Islamabad for marketing. Based on 1st batch marketing of Glades the following outcomes are expected:

Cost Benefit Analysis of off season Glades (Cut Flower) Production S.# Items Area

Kanal Production Nos.

Price /Unit Rs.

Total Income PKR.

1. Glades (Cut Flowers) 01 6,500 20 130,000 2. Mother Corms 01 6,500 25 162,500 3. Small Corms 01 39,000 03 117,000

4. Total Gross Income 01 409,500 5. Total Production &

marketing cost 01 242,250

Total net Income 01 167,250 Generally upper Swat and upper Dir farming system is based on cereals, potato and off season vegetable production, considered as high economic return cash crops of the farming community. Taking actual baseline of vegetables and potato production, cost benefit analysis was undertaken and co mpared with innovations (off season glades) introduced by PEACE. It is revealed that net return from traditional farming of vegetables/potato is PKR 48,000/kanal as compare to 167,250/kanal from off season glades.