Extension activities of a citrus project in Pakistan with assistance from the Australian aid program

The citrus project "the enhancement of value chain production in Pakistan and Australia through improved orchard management practices" was funded by the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAid) and implemented by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR). A component of this project was initiated in 2011 in the Punjab province, Pakistan, a part of a joint collaboration between the Agriculture Sector Linkages Program (ASLP) and the Fruit and Vegetable Development Project (F&VDP). This project aimed at the capacity building of marginalized medium-sized citrus growers in crop management. The FVDP established four farmer field schools (FFSs) in four major citrus growing districts, Sargodha, Mandi Bahauddin, Toba Tek Singh and Layyah. A total of four demonstration sites were established for showing a high-density plantation (1 acre each), canopy management (1 acre each) and good agriculture practices on two citrus blocks (5 acres each). Extension activities of the FFS program included providing training to 4450 growers over a two year period and communicating important crop management information via 42 SMS messages to 1150 growers. The establishment of FFS was found to greatly assist with awareness and adoption of good crop management practices by citrus farmers.