Ambassador of Turkiye Mehmet Pacaci has extended his support to Zarai Taraqiati Bank Ltd (ZTBL) in promoting agriculture, farm mechanization, and imparting training to farmers.
The ambassador of Turkiye called on President/CEO ZTBL Tahir Yaqoob Bhatti in Islamabad today. He was accompanied by Muhsin BALCI, Country Coordinator- Pakistan Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency.
Pacaci expressed gratitude to President ZTBL for his hospitality. The ambassador informed that Turkiye has years-long brotherly relations with Pakistan and is always eager to support them in all areas of mutual interest.
He said Turkiye has rich experience and renowned expertise in agriculture. Pakistan, being blessed with a large agro-economy, can reap the benefits of this knowledge and skills through training programs. The envoy showed keen interest in visiting a ZTBL farm in the near future and assured that all support and cooperation of the Government of the Republic of Turkiye will be extended to ZTBL in areas of mutual interest in the agriculture sector.
During the discussion, President ZTBL highlighted that ZTBL is the only specialized bank in Pakistan catering to the financing and banking needs of small and subsistence farmers of the country through its large network of over 500 branches pan Pakistan.
In addition to extending banking services, ZTBL through its field functionaries reaches out to farmers at their doorstep to provide advisory services on best agriculture practices aiming to improve their income and financial empowerment.
The President said ZTBL has signed MoUs with the provincial government of Punjab, the Pakistan Agriculture Research Council, academia and think tanks to make joint efforts for the uplift of agriculture and the rural economy of the country.
He further apprised that ZTBL farm in Islamabad has separate sections for agriculture machinery, orchards, vegetables, and crops where various trainings are imparted to ZTBL field staff for onward dissemination to farmers.
President ZTBL desired Turkish officials to share their diversified and dynamic experience in agriculture along with best practices through expert-led training programs for ZTBL staff at ZTBL farm.
The training may include areas like farm mechanization, olive farming, beekeeping, cheese making, and value addition in livestock. This train-the-trainer mechanism will enable ZTBL to disseminate this rich knowledge, best practices, and experience in agriculture to farmers of the country
