Representatives from Punjab Food Department (PFD), Government of Punjab and the USAID-funded Punjab Enabling Environment Project (PEEP), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to roll-out delivery of technical assistance for establishment of an efficient grain storage mechanism, involving transformation of grain storage from bag to bulk handling system.This initiative will be based on a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model to establish modern storage facilities throughout the province.
Secretary Punjab Food Department Government of Punjab Asif Bilal Lodhi and Chief of Party USAIDPEEP Muhammad Junaid signed the MoU, while the signing was witnessed by the Provincial Director for USAID Alyson McFarland, Agriculture Specialist USAID Lahore Asad Khan, Head of Procurement Unit World Food Programme Snjezana Leovac, as well as farmers, investors, and relevant private sector stakeholders.
Speaking at the ceremony, Secretary PFD Asif Bilal Lodhi said, “Punjab Food Department has been entrusted by the Government of Punjab for establishing 200 near-farm wheat silos with a capacity of around 20,000 million tons each to ensure quality and availability of clean wheat throughout the year. Our partnership with USAID will help us achieve this milestone by generating private sector investments and creating job opportunities.”
Through Transaction Advisory Services (TAS) Program, one of PEEP’s facilitation tools, the project will provide technical assistance to PFD in setting up grain storage facilities under PPP arrangement in Punjab. PEEP’s TAS program offers a series of financial, technical, commercial, and legal advisory services for potential investors through project-contracted service provider KPMG Taseer Hadi & Co.
Through this partnership, USAID PEEP and PFD seek to modernize the agriculture sector in Punjab by facilitating the shift to advanced and efficient storage system for agriculture produce. This initiative will lead to food security, price stabilization and storage of grains at international food standards.
USAID’s Punjab Enabling Environment Project is a five-year, $15 million project to improve the business environment in the livestock, dairy and horticulture sectors of Punjab. Punjab Food Department is the Government of Punjab’s premier body responsible for regulating the food grains business at provincial level to ensure food security.