University of Agriculture Faisalabad has set up new Faculty titled Faculty of Food, Nutrition and Home Sciences in order to strengthening Research and Development activities. Since UAF inception in 1961 as university, it has been functioning with six faculties.

University of Agriculture Faisalabad has set up new Faculty titled Faculty of Food, Nutrition and Home Sciences in order to strengthening Research and Development activities. Since UAF inception in 1961 as university, it has been functioning with six faculties. It was said by University of Agriculture Faisalabad Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan while chairing two-day hand-loom and off-loom weaving arranged by Institute of Rural Home Economics, UAF. Government College for Women University Faisalabad Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Naureen Aziz Qureshi and Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI) President Engineer Rizwan Ashraf were guests of honour on the occasion. UAF Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan along with GCWUF Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Naureen Aziz Qureshi and FCCI President Rizwan Ashraf visits exhibition set up by Institute of Rural Home Economics Addressing the participants, Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan said that new Faculty would be converted into two faculties including of Faculty of Food and Nutrition; and Faculty of Home Sciences in the years to come. He said that we had planned to set up another faculty named Faculty of Business in the coming years. He said that steps were being taken to strengthen the disciplines on the administrative basis. He said that under the new faculty, Department of Women Development had been established to address the issue of women empowerment. He said that that the University is actively working on gender mainstreaming as presently, 50 percent of the enrolled students are women. He said that number of women teaching staff has touched to 200 which was only 40 around four years ago. He said knowledge had no religion, no gender and no boundaries. He said Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) is the biggest job providers in the world. He said that products made in cottage industry on hand-loom and off-loom were also in high demand. Only innovative and skills are required to capture the market. The women can earn money by polishing their skills in the hand-woven products and can become self employed. He also assured the full UAF cooperation to the GCWUF in the research and academia activities of the women. He said that strengthened industry-academia linkages would bring the country out of the different challenges. He said that enhanced FCCI-UAF collaboration will bring the tangible results to the challenges facing the community and stakeholders. Prof Dr Naureen Aziz Qureshi said women empowerment through skill development and their active participation in socio-economic activities must be ensured to progress in every sphere of life. She said that it is imperative to educate the women. She lauded the government’s initiatives of establishing women universities to increase women education ratio. She sought the assistance and cooperation of the UAF in the development of the newly constructed women university. FCCI President Rizwan Ashraf urged the women to develop entrepreneurship skills and play their dynamic role in the economical activities and to fight the challenge of unemployment. He said that in 1983, the country population was standing at 80 million which had now risen to 180 million, demanding more food and jobs etc. He said 52 percent of the country population consists of women. He stressed the need to ensure the participation in the every field so that the country can make development. He said that sixty percent of country population comprises the youth. We said skilled manpower is the guarantees of bright future. He offered internship facilities for the UAF students in textile sector. UAF National Institute of Food Science and Technology (NIFSAT) Director General Prof Dr Masood Sadiq Butt said they were taking all-out steps to address the food and malnutrition issues with trained manpower and researches. UAF Institute of Rural Home Economics Director Naheed Abbas said that women active participation were essential for economic uplift of the country. She said that the workshop is aimed at polishing the skills among the women about the hand-loom and off-loom weaving. Prof Shaheen Pervez, Textile and Clothing Department Head, from College of Home Economics Lahore; Prof Dr Zafar Javed from National Textile University; Naheed Azhar from College of Home Economics Lahore; Muhammad Bilal, GM Operation, Nimra; and Sadaf Iqbal also spoke