IQRA JUNEJO completed a 6-week internship with Sindh Enterprise Development Fund (SEDF) where she served as a management trainee and coordinator for projects on banana development and establishing a plant tissue culture lab. Her responsibilities included conducting research, arranging meetings, and preparing reports. Through the internship, she gained experience in project coordination and research skills. The internship also highlighted opportunities for improving banana and plant tissue culture in Sindh through new technologies and greater support from authorities.

2. IQRA JUNEJO
CLASS : BS (Agriculture)
ORGANIZATION: SEDF

4. 
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The Government of Sindh has created Sindh Enterprise
Development Fund to provide legal as well as
institutional mechanism to agricultural entrepreneurs.
It aims to provide opportunities for value addition in
the agriculture sector.
It also seeks to introduce farm level interventions to
improve efficiency and profitability.

5. 
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My internship was based at sindh enterprise
development fund, finance department, Sindh
government.
I completed my 6 weeks of mandatory internship by
serving SEDF as management trainee and Coordinator
& PRO to CEO
for projects on banana and
development of plant tissue culture lab.

6. 
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I worked to develop my skill sets and interest in
research in product development, by following SEDF
vision and mission.
I worked to prepare guide book of banana for farmer,
entrepreneurs, exporter and students of agriculture ,to
provide benefits to agriculture sector by providing
technical assistance to agriculture sector.
I also collected basic information and required
formalities and facilities to develop PTCL.

7. During my mandatory summer internship, I had the
honor of working under the supervision and guidance
of
MR MEHBOOB UL HAQ
Chief Executive Officer, Sindh Enterprise Development
Fund
Contact Number: 021 99207512-99207514
Email Address: mehboob.haq@gmail.com

8. 
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A TECHNICAL GUIDE BOOK OF BANANA
TO DEVELOP PLANT TISSUE CULTURE LAB.

9. 
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To provide technical assistance to growers ,exporter in
Oder to over come pre and post harvest problems and
export as well.
To spread awareness regarding importance of banana
and plant tissue culture lab.
To persuade entrepreneurs to invest in banana and plant
tissue culture sector.
To increase production of agricultural commodities.

10. 
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To spread awareness about cool chain of banana for
extension of shelf life of banana and gain some status
in international markets.
To spread awareness about value chain of banana.
To spread awareness about investment opportunities
and job creations in banana and plant tissue culture
sector.

11. 
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Pre and post harvest management of banana.
Health benefits of banana.
Codex standards of banana.
International market status of banana.
Cool and value chain of banana.
Analysis of business operation of banana in pakistan.

12. 
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Required facilities and formalities of plant tissue
culture lab.
Prices of different equipments of plant tissue culture
lab.

13. 
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To arrange and attend meetings for projects at different
offices like TDAP,TCP, DHA PLANT TISSUE
CULTURE LAB,HEJ KU,CENTERILIZED SCIENCE
LAB ,KU,SBI.
To do desktop research on banana & plant tissue
culture & lab before going to attend any official
meeting.
To make questionnaires for meetings and discussions..

14. 
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To do discussions via Telephone and E mail with
different growers, exporter, researchers of sindh &
punjab, and sindh agriculture university, faislabad
agriculture university, company owners & sales
executives.
Daily meetings and discussions with supervisor in
order to provide my work progress on going projects of
company.
To make meeting’s reports in order to maintain office
record.

15. These are few challenges which I faced during internship.
 Difficulties in arranging meetings.
 Lack of office equipments and staff.
 Late response by growers and others of e mails.
 Meetings with supervisor due to schedule conflict and I
had to manage all the work alone.
 Transportation due to CNG strikes and law and order
situations.

16. 
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BANANA is the 4th largest crop of the world.
Banana is staple food for more than 70 million people
in sub sharan africa.
Banana is extensively grown in the lower part of
Sindh(pakistan).
The total share of Sindh province alone in its
cultivation in the area is 87 per cent and 89 per cent in
production.

17. 
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The area under banana cultivation at the time of
independence was only 117 hectares and the production
reported was 368 M tons.
According to “Pakistan Statistical Year Book 2011”,out
of 34,8000 hectares 32,2000 hectares were grown in
sindh province.

18. 
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Sindh produced 127.4000 tones of banana.
The average yield per hectare was 3957 kg in sindh .
Average cost of production in sindh is RS 80,000 to
RS 150,000.

19. 
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Bananas do not grow on trees.
The banana plant is classified as an arbores cent (treelike) herb .
The banana itself is actually considered a BERRY.
The correct name for bunch of bananas is a HAND of
bananas; a single banana is a FINGER.

20. 1 banana
=
1 finger
5-7 fingers
=
1 cluster
15-20 fingers
=
1 hand
8-14 hands
=
1 bunch(200
banana)

21. 
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Major districts in Sindh where banana is grown are
Thatta
Hyderabad
Badin
Mirpurkhas
Sangar
Nawabshah
khair pur and sukkhar.

22. 
CAVENDISH DWARF (BARSAI) 98%
(CONVENTIONAL VARIETY)

23. 
Grand naine

William hybrid

24. 
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Work is being done on three Chinese cultivar in PARC,
islamabad
PISHANG
B-10
W-11

25. 
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Free of cost.(Suckers)
Initial extra care is required in tissue culture varieties.
Increased cost of production in case of TC variety.
Chances of damages, during transportation. (TC
variety)

26. 
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Banana being perishable fruit needs careful handling,
quick transport, sound packing and completions of
operations on time.
There are several factors which influence the efficiency
of fruit marketing ,it includes rotting of products,
seasonal viability ,quality , price and location.
Banana producers avoid marketing because of
perishable nature and unreliable prices.

27. 
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Lack of modern technology and machinery.
Only few big farmers are using new technology.
Farmers feels hesitation for the use of new machines.
Sad but true there is no research institute in sindh to
solve the problem of growers.

28. STRENGTHS:
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Availability of cheap labor.
Fertile land.
Interest of farmers and landowners in this sector.
Availability of local and international markets.

29. WEAKNESSES:
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Lack of awareness
Character of middlemen and contractor.
Bad infrastructure.
Lack of information about new technologies.

30. OPPORTUNITIES:
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Increasing demand locally and international markets.
Introduction of new technologies
New research and development in this sector.
New research and techniques to control disease.

31. THREATS:
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Perishable product.
Viral diseases.
Post harvest handling.
Plantation of unhealthy plants.

46. PLANT TISSUE CULTURE:
 Plant tissue culture is a method or techniques to isolate
parts of plants(protoplasm, cells, tissues and organs)and
grow them on artificial media in aseptic conditions in a
controlled space so that parts of these plants can grow
and develop into complete plants.

47. 
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In each laboratory where plant tissue culture techniques
are used must have a number of facilities that include
among others.
The laboratory conditions should be highly sterilized
and aseptic.
The explants should be sterilized before propagation.

48. 
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Outdoor media preparation, sterilization and storage
Washing room
Media preparation room
Water(distilled water)
Transfer space (laminar air flow)

49. 
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Culture room
Glass wares
Microscope
Shaker
Autoclave chamber

50. 
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Tools dissection (spatula, scalpels,(tweezers)forceps,
scissors)
Shade or green houses
Computer for record keeping
AC

51. 
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No NOC is required to run the lab.
2 to 3 persons can run the lab, but they must be
technically well informed.
No extra qualification is required to run the lab.
2 years are required for technical back up from lab.
No specific rules and regulations are required.

52. 
Varieties are not being developed in pakistan, only
varieties of different plants are being introduced in
pakistan.

53. 
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I have to learn a lot.
I am figuring out I am not as good at some things as I
thought I am.
I am trying to get better at many skill I considered
myself to already have.
Our both sectors banana and plant tissue culture need
attention of authorities.
Institutions are not working properly.

54. 
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I Have become quite skill full to arrange official
meetings for an organization.
I have become able to write meetings report.
I have developed stronger relationship with different
officials, growers, technical managers, exporters.
I have become quite able to maintain office record.
I have become quite able to take interview or to
discussions with different officials for research and
various purposes.

55. 
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Writing more reports on different agricultural
commodities and official meetings.
More interaction with different officials of government
,private sector ,exporters, growers , researchers,
teachers ( I still feel quite uncomfortable and I want to
over come it )
I want to attend and arrange more official meetings for
learning and discussions.
I want to do more research on banana.

56. 
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I Would like to thanks prof DR SALEEM SHAZAD.
I Would like to thanks MR FAISAL FAROOQUE.
I would like to thanks MR ZUBAIR MOTIWALA .
I would like to thanks MR MEHBOOB UL HAQ
I would like to thanks all the officials, researchers ,
growers and all those who co operated with me during
my internship .