The Horticultural Advancement Activity (THAzA)

Request for Applications (RFA) # FOPB-BAL-018/2021 

In-Kind Grant Support for Fried Onion Production Business for Women in Quetta

‘The Horticultural Advancement Activity’ (THAzA) is a 5-year project awarded by USAID and implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. THAzA focuses on selected horticultural value chains in Balochistan and in the selected Newly Merged Districts (NMDs) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (previously called FATA). The objectives of THAzA are to create jobs and generate income, through increased productivity and quality, improved marketing and access to services and investments in horticultural value chains.

To achieve these objectives, FAO intends to extend in-kind grant support to female entrepreneurs in Balochistan, for establishing fried onion production business, using modern technology and practices. FAO will directly procure and provide the grantee with the required machinery and equipment, whereas the grantee will be required to bear the remaining activity cost including acquisition of premises, some equipment and cover refurbishment / operational cost. Through this RFA FAO/THAzA invite applications from eligible female applicants (individuals as well as registered Groups), who:

• Are residents of Quetta district and not be more than 55 years of age.
• Are practically involved in running business.
• Want to invest in establishing fried onion production business in Quetta.
• Have the entrepreneurial capacity to successfully produce and market fried onion.
• Have the financial resources to share cost of investment with FAO in the proposed business.

Apart from in-kind grant, THAzA will also provide training on high quality fried onion production and facilitate/support grantees with the marketing of their produce.

For further details regarding this RFA, including the grants application form, interested applicants may either download the complete RFA from https://new.brightspyre.com/jobs/jid/39671 or obtain RFA copies from FAO Provincial office in Quetta. For ease of access, RFA and grants application form will also be made available through the district Agricultural Extension Office.