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Pakistan

     In-depth analysis of investment cases
         Key financial and economic data
     Impact and opportunities highlights
Pakistan 2026

INVESTMENT PROFILE
39.67M
(in USD) Total Investment
25.08%
Internal rate of return
26.27M
(in USD) Total NPV
SUSTAINABILITY BENEFITS
547
Direct beneficiaries
2,694
(in USD) Income increase per capita
---
tonnes GHG impact 

Agriculture is a cornerstone of Pakistan's economy, contributing approximately 24 percent of GDP, and employing one-third of the national workforce. With diverse agroecological zones, abundant natural resources, and a strategic geographic location connecting South Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East, and China, Pakistan offers significant opportunities for sustainable agrifood investment and value chain development.

The Government of Pakistan has identified agriculture as a key driver of economic transformation under the Uraan Pakistan: National Economic Transformation Plan (2024–2029), which aims to enhance agricultural productivity and export competitiveness, expand cultivable land, promote innovation and economic diversification, and achieve sustainable and inclusive economic growth. These efforts are complemented by the Pakistan Investment Policy 2023, which promotes export-oriented growth, investor protection, and regulatory simplification. The policy is supported by Special Economic Zones (SEZs), and the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) as a one-stop investment platform, tax incentives, and duty-free import of plant and machinery. Pakistan also benefits from preferential market access through the EU GSP+ scheme, the Pakistan–Türkiye Free Trade Agreement, and the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA).

Pakistan has already demonstrated strong momentum in translating investment opportunities into tangible results. Since 2024, the country has mobilized approximately USD 381 million in investments, trade agreements, and financing across priority agrifood sectors, including livestock, aquaculture, grain storage, and agricultural processing, reinforcing investor confidence and expanding international market access.

Under the Hand-in-Hand (HiH) Initiative, FAO is supporting the Government of Pakistan in accelerating the transformation of its agrifood systems through evidence-based and investment-driven planning. Working closely with national and provincial stakeholders, FAO has undertaken a comprehensive analysis to identify high-impact investment opportunities with strong commercial viability, development impact, and export potential. This process has resulted in a portfolio of six investment cases across the olive, buffalo milk, camel milk, and premium food value chains, representing a total investment opportunity of approximately USD 39.7 million, with an average internal rate of return of 25 percent and significant potential to generate rural incomes, employment, value addition, and sustainable economic growth.

Geospatial Typologies

Agro-informatics connects information technology with the management, analysis and application of agricultural data to indentify territories with untapped agrifood potential and design more accurate and targeted agrifood interventions. The use of new technologies and techniques in agriculture, such as satellite imagery, remote sensing, and geographic information systems, enable the transformation of data into actionable information.

POVERTY
POTENTIAL
EFFICIENCY
Poverty
Potential
Efficiency
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Investment cases in the country

Investment cases and interventions

Hand in Hand initiative

Vertically integrated olive oil value chain

INVESTMENT
USD 7.28M 
INTERNAL RATE OF RETURN (%)
21%
NET PRESENT VALUE
USD 3.9M
DIRECT BENEFICIARIES
52
INDIRECT BENEFICIARIES
332
INCOME INCREASE PER CAPITA
2,940 USD/person
EMISSION REDUTION (EXACT)
--Kg TCO2-E/Kg

Pakistan is emerging as one of the world's olive-producing countries, with an estimated 10 million acres suitable for olive cultivation across Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab. Supported by favorable agro-climatic conditions, and growing government investment, the country is well positioned to become a regional supplier of premium extra virgin olive oil. Pakistan recently became a full member of the International Olive Council (IOC), enabling its olive oil to be certified under internationally recognized quality standards and opening access to premium export markets in Europe, the Gulf and North America. Pakistan is prioritizing the large-scale expansion of olive cultivation by converting marginal and barren land into olive orchards. The Government has also established olive extraction units, quality laboratories, nurseries and producer support programs. Beyond export potential, expansion of domestic olive production can substantially strengthen climate-resilient agriculture, generate rural employment and create high-value agribusiness opportunities in cultivation, processing, packaging and branding.
camels pakistan

Camel farms, milk collection and dairy processing

INVESTMENT
USD 12.1M 
INTERNAL RATE OF RETURN (%)
32%
NET PRESENT VALUE
USD 11.42M
DIRECT BENEFICIARIES
75
INDIRECT BENEFICIARIES
479
INCOME INCREASE PER CAPITA
4,368 USD/person
EMISSION REDUTION (EXACT)
--Kg TCO2-E/Kg

Pakistan has an estimated camel population of 1.5 million, offering a unique opportunity to develop a globally competitive camel dairy industry. Camel milk is increasingly recognized for its nutritional value, digestibility and functional health properties, driving strong consumer demand in high-income markets, particularly in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Europe and Asia. Rising demand for premium dairy products, coupled with Pakistan's proximity to Middle Eastern markets, provides an attractive opportunity for investment across the camel dairy value chain including commercial camel farms, milk aggregation systems, cold-chain infrastructure, drying facilities for the production of camel milk powder and modern dairy processing facilities. Investments in this sector can transform a largely underutilized livestock resource into a high-value export industry while improving pastoral livelihoods, supporting climate-resilient livestock production and expanding income opportunities in arid and semi-arid regions where camels are naturally adapted.
mango pakistan

Farm to scoop gelato

INVESTMENT
USD 550,000 
INTERNAL RATE OF RETURN (%)
23%
NET PRESENT VALUE
USD 220,000
DIRECT BENEFICIARIES
82
INDIRECT BENEFICIARIES
524
INCOME INCREASE PER CAPITA
955 USD/person
EMISSION REDUTION (EXACT)
--Kg TCO2-E/Kg

Pakistan's internationally renowned Sindhri and Chaunsa mangoes, recognized as premium exotic tropical fruits in international markets, together with an expanding horticulture sector, provide a unique platform for developing premium fruit-based ice cream and artisanal gelato. The country combines year-round availability of high-quality tropical fruits with competitive production costs and increasing domestic demand for premium food products. International demand for authentic, natural and sustainably sourced ice cream is growing, particularly in Gulf countries and Asia, creating opportunities for export-oriented premium gelato brands made from Pakistani fruit. Investments in modern fruit processing, cold-chain infrastructure, premium manufacturing facilities and branded retail networks can generate significant value addition, reduce post-harvest losses and diversify Pakistan's horticultural exports beyond fresh produce. The proposed farm-to-scoop model integrates primary production, processing and retail, creating a scalable agribusiness model that supports farmers while capturing greater value throughout the supply chain.
buffalos

Buffalo milk: commercial farm, milk collection centres and mozzarella cheese

VESTMENT
USD 9.4M | USD 1.84M |  USD 8.5M 
INTERNAL RATE OF RETURN (%)
22% | 19% | 32%
NET PRESENT VALUE
USD 3.9M | USD 930,000 | USD 5.9M
DIRECT BENEFICIARIES
138 | 69 | 131
INDIRECT BENEFICIARIES
524 | 441 | 837
INCOME INCREASE PER CAPITA
1,180 | 616 | 6,107 USD/person
EMISSION REDUTION (EXACT)
--Kg TCO2-E/Kg

Pakistan is the fourth-largest milk-producing country in the world and home to over 48 million buffaloes, including the internationally renowned indigenous Nili-Ravi and Kundi breeds, producing more than 75 million tonnes of milk annually. Buffalo milk commands a premium in domestic and international markets due to its higher fat and protein content, making it particularly suitable for high-value products such as mozzarella cheese, specialty dairy products, cream, ghee and UHT milk. Pakistan’s substantial dairy herd, established dairy farming traditions and rapidly growing domestic dairy market provide an excellent foundation for scaling commercial dairy enterprises. Strategic investments in modern dairy farms, milk collection centres, cold-chain logistics, digital traceability systems and value-added processing can significantly reduce post-harvest losses, improve productivity, strengthen food safety standards and unlock export opportunities to the Middle East, Southeast Asia and other premium dairy markets. With increasing private sector participation and strong domestic demand, Pakistan's buffalo dairy sector represents one of South Asia's most promising agrifood investment opportunities.

Resources

FAO's Hand-in-Hand Initiative
21/12/2023

The Hand-in-Hand (HIH) Initiative supports the implementation of nationally led, ambitious programmes to accelerate agrifood systems transformations...

In the Media

Contacts

For more information, please contact the Hand-in-Hand team