AGRICULTURAL LINKAGES PROGRAMME (ALP)

INTRODUCTION

The Government of Pakistan and Government of the United States of America recalling the close ties in scientific and technological cooperation which have developed over several decades have gone into an agreement to create an Agricultural Linkages Program (ALP) to reap the mutual benefits of agricultural research through joint research projects and exchange of scientists. The covenant of the Agreement provides that the local currency generated through the sale proceeds of the wheat will be used by Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) to establish the ALP for promoting research cooperation between Pakistan and the USA in the areas of agricultural sciences. The Government of Pakistan allowed PARC to establish an Agricultural Research Endowment Fund (AREF) where all proceeds raised from the sale of US wheat shall be transferred. Fund received will be invested in government’s approved schemes/institutes. The income thus generated shall be used for ALP activities/projects in line with the Pakistan’s long-term research/development goals for the agriculture sector. The goals focus on food security, poverty alleviation and promoting broad based equitable and sustainable agriculture.

The Fund provides for all the operational research and development expenditure including supplies and material and local travel for the research personnel to be deployed under the projects. Non-recurring expenditure on items of non-expendable equipment, capital goods, structures and transport facilities having anticipated usefulness beyond fixed duration of each project will be purchased sparingly.

OBJECTIVES

The objective of the ALP is to promote and support agricultural research and development activities in accordance with the Pakistan's long term development goals and to promote long term scientific cooperation between Pakistan and the United States in agricultural sector.

SCOPE OF COOPERATION

The scope of agricultural research and development activities, which the ALP may promote and support shall cover all scientific activities related to agriculture including production, processing, marketing and agricultural services. The ALP shall give emphasis, but need not limit to its efforts to the support of strategic research, which improves farm and animal productivity, and in the areas which directly or indirectly affect the achievement of these objectives.

POWERS OF ALP FUND

The ALP Fund shall be an independent entity and shall possess all of the powers necessary to carry out its objectives including but not limited to the powers to:

· promote and support, by funding or otherwise agricultural research and development projects of mutual benefit;

· encourage and support the exchange of agricultural scientists and other type of agricultural experts.

OPERATIONS

Pakistan Agricultural Research Council is responsible for operation of ALP Fund. The ALP Fund's operations mainly consist of selection, processing, approval, monitoring, evaluation and coordination of projects supported in whole or in part by the Fund. The primary source of such Funding shall be from the income of the Fund. The Fund shall minimize in annual operational costs in order to permit the maximum utilization of its resources to support agricultural research and development and will do so by using effectively the existing mechanisms of PARC. The Fund shall accept proposals for research and development grants from all public or private entities which demonstrate needed research and development (R&D) capabilities and financial responsibilities. The Fund shall encourage project proposals to be developed and submitted jointly by the Pakistani and US scientists. The ALP operations also include:

·        the Fund will assist applicants who submit proposals singly to identify collaborators in the other country;

·        proposals may cover any or all R&D phases including initial feasibility (pre-research and pre-development), research and development;

·        all proposals shall be submitted to the Director Planning, PARC, Executive Director, ALP;

·        all proposals for R&D projects and feasibility studies are to be judged and evaluated by the technical experts/referees in Pakistan and overseas collaborating scientists. The final ranking will be made by the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC); and

·        the recommendation of TAC will be submitted to BOD for final approval and allocation of ALP annual budget

MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

A management system will establish the ALP Fund's Programme and Priorities and its financial and managerial policies. Board of Directors shall be the governing body of ALP Fund and shall be responsible for the Fund's programme and its financial and managerial policies. The Board shall consist of:

Board of Directors (BOD)

Chairman, PARC Chairman
Provincial Addl. Chief Secretaries (4) Member
Senior Chief (Agri. and Food Sec.) P & D Division Member
Agricultural Development Commissioner, MINFAL Member
All Members, PARC Member
Representation of Stakeholders (2) Member
Director Planning, PARC Member/Secretary

Terms of Reference (TOR) of BOD

· adopt bylaws, rules, and procedures for the conduct of its activities;

· establish the organizational frame-work of the Fund;

· appoint Technical Experts and Reviewers and Technical Advisors for review and evaluation of the proposals.

· accept contributions of property , funds, and services; and

· exercise and delegate any other powers of the Fund not otherwise specifically assigned by this document.

Technical Advisory Committee (TAC)

Chairman, PARC Chairman
All Members, PARC (5) Members
Provincial DG Research (4) Members
Eminent Scientists (4) Member
Director Planning Member/Secretary

ALP Secretariat

The Planning Directorate of PARC will act as ALP Secretariat. Necessary manpower and logistic facilities will be drawn from within PARC resources and the necessary operational expenditure will be met out of ALP fund.

Executive Director

The Director Planning, PARC will be the Executive Director of ALP and will act as Administrative Officer (AO) of the Fund. The Executive Director will be responsible for the administration and operation of the Fund under the authority and powers assigned by BOD. The office of the Executive Director will be located at PARC. The Executive Director shall exercise all powers delegated to him/ her by the BOD. The Executive Director shall, among other things:

· refer proposals submitted for ALP funding to the Technical Expert/Reviewer and TAC.

· based on recommendations of the Technical Expert and TAC, prepare and submit to the Board for its approval the annual research and development program, their annual budget, and long-term plans for the utilization of the Fund's resources;

· compile annual reports, organize monitoring, review and evaluation of ALP projects and compile the audit and financial reports;

· the Executive Director may organize and facilitate various activities falling under the Fund's objectives; and

· Executive Director shall maintain an appropriate system of internal control, books and records (technical and financial).

MODE OF SUBMISSION OF PROJECT PROPOSALS

Initially concept papers will be invited on the prescribed proforma through advertisement. After preliminary evaluation of the concept papers, the sponsor will be requested to submit a detailed, full blown project proposal for final evaluation and processing by the ALP Secretariat. Successful sponsor will be notified and an agreement to implement the project will be signed between the sponsor and PARC.

PROCESSING OF THE PROJECTS

The project proposals will be processed in accordance with the procedures approved by the BOD of ALP Endowment Fund. The project approval process will include:

·        Inviting the concept papers, not exceeding 3-4 pages with one page budget estimates from the scientists through advertisement in priority areas of national importance;

·        concept papers appraisal by ALP Secretariat through technical divisions of PARC;

·        invitation of detailed proposals in the light of recommendations by the technical division, PARC;

·        review of detailed proposals by the cooperating scientists and two national referees;

·        submission of detailed project proposals to TAC alongwith recommendations of national and international referees for concurrence;

·        implementation Agreement between the sponsor and PARC; and

·        issuance of Administrative approval of the project.

DURATION

The Fund shall support research and development projects generally for a period of up to 3 years. Extensions beyond three years will require approval of the Technical Advisory Committee. Each project incharge shall submit to the Director Planning, PARC an annual progress report for review. Funding of projects that do not show adequate progress may be withheld.

MONITORING AND EVALUATION

monitoring, review, and evaluation of the projects will be organized by the Planning Directorate, PARC; and

annual review of ALP will be carried out by BOD.

REPORTING AND DISSEMINATION OF RESEARCH RESULTS

the Executive Director will make sure that the Incharge of ALP project will submit financial and technical progress reports timely and regularly to PARC on the prescribed proformae;

on termination of the project, final financial report and completion report are to be submitted for evaluation and settlement of accounts with ALP Sectt., PARC;

the project incharge will submit any additional information required by the ALP Secretariat; and

the projects findings are to be disseminated to all the stake- holders and public & private institutions.

RECRUITMENT IN THE PROJECT

As a general policy, ALP does not provide for recruitment of regular staff. ALP assumes that the host institutes have sufficient trained human resources and with some essential operational/financial support, the institute will successfully run the project. However, under specific and unavoidable situations, restricted contract appointments shall be allowed as per prevalent govt. policy.

FINANCIAL AND ACCOUNTING SYSTEM

The PARC financial, accounting and auditing system will be adopted for the implementation of ALP.

HONORARIUM

An honorarium equal to one month's salary will be given to the incharge of the project per year. Honorarium to other officers/project staff associated with ALP will be admissible with the approval of BOD.

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