Royal vegetables seedling plugs for Pakistan farmers Due to climate change, the growing season for vegetables in Pakistan is becoming shorter and less reliable. If farmers plant their seeds at the start of the season and transplant the seedlings some weeks later, the rains can cease before the vegetables are in their final phase of growth. Also, there is no time to substitute failed plants. This results in low yields.The project proposes to grow seedling plugs in tunnel greenhouses during the pre-growing season and sell these to farmers who can plant them at the very start of the season. This allows for the maximum growing period and a start with healthy plants, resulting in far higher yields. This will be done according to the standards of Global GAP and therefore includes laboratory checks on plant health.The project is situated halfway Lahore and Islamabad at the premises of the local partner. The initial planting area is 0.8 ha of greenhouses.The applicant, East-West International B.V., and the local partner, Haji Sons, are in a good position to convince the farmers to buy the expensive seedling plugs instead of the seeds. Haji Sons decided in the 1980's to shift from selling seeds to middlemen to giving agricultural extension to farmer groups and sell packages of inputs directly. This gave them a lot of trust from the farmers. The farmers monitored the experiments with seedling plugs at the Haji Sons' farm and calculated that this method is altogether more profitable for them. East-West has worked with Haji Sons since 2005. They train the extension workers and participate in the first sessions with the farmer groups. They also collect local varieties and use them to improve their seeds for Pakistan.For this project, a whole new production line has to be set up: greenhouse, drip irrigation, laboratory for plants instead of seeds etc. The major risk is the absence of plant breeder rights in Pakistan. If other companies use the improved seeds to start up a similar business without paying royalties, all investments are lost. For this reason, breeding is done in the Netherlands, and PSI subsidy is requested because banks are not willing to provide loans without legal protection of the rights.Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)The new joint venture will work in line with the CSR practices of Haji Sons (see above). It will also comply to the existing GlobalGAP standards.Impact•	Employment and working conditionsSee above under CSR.•	Innovation / Transfer of knowledgeTraditionally, farmers grow their own seedlings and transplant them afterwards. Sometimes, seedlings are bought from neighbouring farms. In this project, seedling plugs are grown in trays in tunnel greenhouses. There is no other production facility like this.•	Chain effectsThere is no significant impact on local suppliers beside some services.For the local farmers, the seedling plugs are a good way to increase their yields and incomes. This can become especially important if the growing season becomes shorter and more erratic. The joint venture will also allow farmers to produce their own seedling using companies facilities. This allows for a maximum of flexibility.•	EnvironmentThe company operates according to the Global GAP standards.•	Position of womenNeutral. A number of medium- and high-level jobs are allocated to women.•	Impact on food safetyThis project contributes greatly to food security. It allows farmers to increase their yields significantly without using additional pesticides by starting with strong healthy seedlings. To build 0.8 + 0.4 ha of tunnel greenhouses and additional production facilities and grow seedlings to serve 2% of the local partners present customers.