Value addition and brand development of apple farming in South Waziristan

Apple farming is a significant agricultural activity in South Waziristan, particularly in the Wana region. The Wana region has a reputation for producing the best quality apples and the local producers receive very little of the market value. According to the Apple Value Chain Report (UNDP 2022), the decision-maker is that farmers receive approximately 24 percent of the overall profit margins, and the other merchants and middlemen hold the rest of the mark-up. Moreover, the lack of storage facilities after harvest losses of over 25 percent and the lack of processing or branding facilities also restrain the economic potential of the area. The research on farm efficiency in South Waziristan adds one more argument to the necessity of systemic development outside the main agriculture, which is proven to be low-productive and unexploited (Ahmad et al. 2024). The current project is expected to enhance value-added, cost-effective, and branding strategy to the Wana apples to increase profitability to farmers, decrease wastage and create a sense of belonging to a region in the market. The methodology of the study will be a mixed-method design in which field surveys, interviews, financial feasibility analysis, and prototype packaging design will be employed to assess the possible viable value-added products e.g., vinegar apple juice and dried chips. Financial sustainability will be assessed through a cost-benefit and sensitivity analysis branding research will be based on low-cost and

Poster