About the program

Aik Saath is an Urdu phrase meaning Together. 

It is also the name we have given ACIAR’s program of Research for Development (R4D) in Pakistan.
Aik Saath reminds us every day that Together we achieve more:

• for all members of smallholder families and communities – women, men and youth working together
• in all value chain roles from inputs to farming to markets
• with the Pakistan and Australian government commitments to the program
• across multiple agricultural products, themes and research disciplines
• through many technical, commercial and official partners in Australia and Pakistan

Aik Saath is about collaborating to maximise the benefits for small farm families from ACIAR’s partnerships in Pakistan.

Our pathway to impact

The target beneficiaries from ACIAR’s program are Small Farm Families. ACIAR’s strategy is dedicated to human development through improving food security and reducing poverty among smallholder farmers and rural communities, enhancing human nutrition and reducing risks to health. 

This aligns closely with the Government of Pakistan’s Vision 2025, as well as Pakistan Agriculture Strategy; the 12th 5-year Development Plan and Provincial initiatives.

Where we work

The ACIAR approach is built on close collaboration between Australian and Pakistani partners on the ground Security issues mean that project sites are restricted to Punjab and Sindh provinces. Some projects also have active partners in Balochistan. Aik Saath projects share information about project sites to enable coordination of regional activities.

The Aik Saath program partners with other Australian Development programs such as AusABBA and the Market Development Facility (MDF) regarding scaling out research outcomes to other provinces.