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GROWTH FOR RURAL ADVANCEMENT AND SUSTAINABLE PROGRESS (GRASP),

PAKISTAN
CRIS NUMBER: ACA/2016/039280

Budget: 50 MEUR ,
Duration: 6 Years (2018-2023) ,
Implementing partners: ITC : to be finalised.
Theme: Rural Development , SME development, Business support services and institutions, Agriculture
business development, Human Social Economic development
Geographic focus: Sindh and Balochistan provinces . The action is proposed to be implemented in the
Sindh and Balochistan provinces, building upon community mobilisation and rural development projects
already being funded by the EU
Sectors: Dairy and horticulture SMEs (sub-sectors to be defined)
Relevance/ Alignment: Global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Agenda 2030. Goal 1. End Poverty
in all its forms , Secondary SDG Goals: Goal 5 Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
and Goal 12 Ensure sustainable consumption and production pattern. Pakistan national strategies: Vision
2025, National Strategic Trade Policy Framework 2015-18, 2013 Agriculture and Food Security Policy,
Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Development Policy, Public Private Partnerships framework (2010) and
provincial policies (drafts)

EU Multi Annual Indicative Plan (MIP) 2014-2020, Support for Private Sector Development (PSD), the
Donor Committee for Enterprise Development (DECD), EU International Cooperation and Development
Results Framework, Gender, Environment and Right based Approach
Stakeholders and Beneficiaries: Rural SMEs, Public and Semi-public Institutions, Communities, Private
sector intermediary companies, b) Value chain related fora and associations c) Service providing
intermediate SMEs, Primary producer SMEs
Action Proposed
The programme thus consists of the support to the vertical and horizontal development of targeted SMEs
clusters, upgradation of value addition along the whole supply chain , increased integration of small
producers into supply chains leading to enhanced income generating opportunities for the SMEs, so that
overall value addition will allow transformation of the rural economy, particularly in Balochistan and Sindh
provinces. The GRASP programme will contribute to the creation of a productive business environment and
facilitate the establishment and development of profitable SMEs around selected value chains .

The Overall Objective of the Programme is," Reduction of poverty through developing sustainable
economic growth in rural areas of Pakistan". The Project Purpose is, " Gender Inclusive Income and
Employment Generation through enhanced productivity and profitability of SMEs involved in primary
production, service provision and/or value addition in and around selected clusters of production " .

The programme is composed of three main result areas.

Expected Result 1 (ER1): Policy level Institutional capacity strengthened and business environment
improved for rural SME development.
Expected Result 2 (ER2): Functional Private Input and Service Delivery SMEs (M/F) support the
enhancement of production and quality at primary production level.
Expected Result 3 (ER3): Commercially Operating SMEs (M/F) are applying appropriate and
environmentally sustainable technologies to add value and enhance marketed volumes. Value addition and
marketed volumes enhanced applying appropriate and environmentally sustainable technologies

Way Forward: The programme is still at design stage and submitted to EU HQ- QSG1 on 19/01, was
approved. A formulation mission is on- going during Feb:06 -23, 2017 to consolidate the findings and
formulate a full action document. All stakeholders will be consulted.