Agribusiness Support Fund (ASF) - a not-for-profit company - was established in July, 2005 with the support of Asian Development Bank (ADB) in the context of Agribusiness Development & Diversification Project (ADDP) under a loan agreement signed between the Government of Pakistan (GoP) and ADB. The company is registered with the Securities & Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) under the Section 42 of the Companies Ordinance, 1984 and is governed by an independent, private sector-led Board of Directors. The company was established to strengthen and support demand-driven private sector service delivery mechanisms throughout the agribusiness value chains (with high-value horticulture, livestock and dairy sectors) including supply inputs, production, processing, and market access for domestic and export markets.
ASF has outreach in all the provinces and special areas of country.
ASF purposefully focuses on the following while structuring its programs:
- Agribusiness development because this sub-sector typically offers the greatest opportunity to address the needs of poor people who live in rural areas;
- Sustainable Income generating activities because a secure and steady source of income is the primary means to address poverty related issues such as food security, education, health, and housing.
- High Value Agribusiness Sectors because they are the most underserved and offer the greatest opportunity for value addition and development leading to rural employment, increased rural income and economic growth.
- Entire Value Chain of the targeted sectors, from input supply, to production, processing and marketing, because a holistic approach must be adopted to address constraints that impede the growth of the sector.
- Farmer Group activity because this facilitates collective market access for smallholder farmers on a sustainable basis.
