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Panjtan Hassan harvests tomatoes in his open fields in Shublan, District Kurram, a small town in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where agriculture is the main source of livelihood. Funded by Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) and implemented by FAO project “Restoration of Livelihoods in Merged Districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa” helped him with provision of high quality certified tomatoes seedlings during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. “At the crucial times, the COVID-19 restrictions are pushing food producers to find new ways of working so that they can maintain their livelihoods,” he says.

Tomato is a major source of income for farmers in Kurram. It is grown on large scale but through outdated and obsolete cultivation methods that results in low yield and less income. The recent pandemic of COVID-19, minimized their access to quality seeds that added to their vulnerabilities. The breakneck shortages of seed as well as upsurge in food prices, FAO’s assistance to the farming community was a tangible relief.  
“We were provided a package of certified tomatoes seeds. Not only were the seedlings provided to the vulnerable community, but also through the Farmer Field School sessions, specialized trainings about the pre and post-harvest management techniques were provided. Awareness about COVID-19 preventive measures were also added to our FFS sessions. For the first time, together with my friends (a group of seven), we have earned eight million Rupees from tomato crop harvest,” said Panjtan Hassan.

As per accustomed methods of farming, the farmers sell only matured and ripened tomatoes to market, however, the left over unripen tomato fruits are wasted. Through FFS sessions, FAO introduced Panjtan Hassan with innovative methods to preserve those unripen tomato to be sold later to market. The unripen fruits were kept in plastic-covered controlled temperature which gradually ripened giving them extra-ordinary value/price that increased their income.  “I used to cultivate 30 gm in 3.5 canals’ plots and had earned 0.1-0.2 million Rupees but this time he cultivated his land with certified  30 gm seed (provided by FAO) in the same plots and earned maximum amount of PKR 0.9- 1.1 million PKR”, says Panjtan.

FAO also connected these farmers with local and national markets, creating linkages through which they could sell their produces. Panjtan and his friends benefitted from the market linkages without involving intermediary commissions which helped them in selling approximately one hundred and twenty-six thousand Kilogram tomatoes in Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Parachinar, Sadda, and Kohat markets.  The group of friends have earned a handsome amount of eight million PKR profit in just one season.

“COVID-19 has impacted the farming communities and access to quality inputs has become difficult due to increase in prices. During the sowing period, I was wondering who would buy the produces if the lockdown continues especially a far flung area like Kurram would be disconnected from the rest of the country. With the support, we got connected with the markets that has created sustainability and shortened the supply chain as well. For the next harvest, it’s a lot easier now as I have got contacts in the local and national markets to sell my produces. How I’m going to spend the money? I have planned about it and yes it has improved our livelihood” says Panjtan.  

Together with Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO), FAO aims to support the temporary displaced persons who have returned to their home town to take up again agricultural production and resume normal economic activities, reduce poverty and economic inequalities through sustainable agriculture development in the target areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. FAO endeavors to revitalize agriculture in the area, help increase communities’ resilience, boosting their livelihoods, food security, and nutrition.