Secretary P&D Board, Mr. Rafaqat Ali, chaired a meeting with the World Bankโs Scoping Mission, led by Mr. Olivier Durand, Lead Agriculture Specialist, to explore a new initiative in Punjabโs agri-food and irrigation sectors. The mission aims to develop a shared vision for future investments aligned with Punjabโs sectoral policies, the Country Partnership Framework (CPF), and long-term development goals. Discussions focused on: โ๏ธ Key policy reforms to foster an investor-friendly environment โ๏ธ Priority investment areas for high-impact results โ๏ธ Strategic partnerships with agribusinesses and banks to improve farmersโ access to markets, finance, and innovation The Chair also reviewed lessons learned from past initiatives, including the Strengthening Markets for Agriculture and Rural Transformation (SMART) Program for Results, to inform the design of future interventions. Representatives from all relevant departments participated in the meeting.
