PESHAWAR: The United Nations Development Programme Pakistan on Wednesday launched the suppliers` development programme to support small and medium enterprises in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The new development project is meant to improve the productivity, efficiency, product quality, and product delivery of small and medium enterprises.

The project was launched in Peshawar by the UNDP Pakistan, the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, and the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Authority (SMEDA).

The initiative was launched by UNDP Pakistan country director Marc-André Franche, labour and mineral development minister Anisa Zeb Tahirkheli, provincial industries secretary Farah Hamid Khan, planning and development secretary Zafar Ali Shah, chief commercial officer of KPEZDMC Aadil Salahuddin and provincial Smeda chief Iqbal Khattak.

According to a statement issued here, the SDP is part of the UNDP`s larger Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Economic Development Project aimed at boosting economic development in the province by creating jobs, increasing the competitiveness of SMEs, and nurturing young entrepreneurs.

Pakistan is the first country in South Asia to replicate the SDP model, which is based on the assumption that marginalized groups, like youth and women, can play dynamic roles in building a prosperous society.

Mr. Marc-André Franche said SDP was in line with UNDP`s larger objective of bringing stability through economic development in conflict-af fected places.

`I am confident that the initiative will go a long way in generating employment and securing prosperous futures for skilled labour and entrepreneurs in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,` he said. He said under the SDP, consultants were trained to work with a value chain comprising a leading company and 6-10 suppliers.

`They apply a specially designed methodology to improve the competitiveness of suppliers to meet the quality, quantity, standards, and delivery time of the products being supplied to the lead company. Eventually, this low-cost model will be permanently embedded into a government or private sector entity,` he said.

The planning and development secretary said addressing weaknesses of individual SMEs would not only increase competitiveness of the companies but also enhance the competitiveness of the sector.-Bureau Report