Nigerian High Commissioner visits UAF

Nigerian High Commissioner Dauda Danladi said that his country will develop and enhance its students exchange programme with the University of Agriculture Faisalabad under which 1,000 Nigerian students will be sent to get benefit from each other experiences. He was addressing as chief guest at the inaugural session of International Conference titled Crop Management in Changing Climate organized University of Agriculture Faisalabad. UAF Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan was the guest of occasion. Departments of Agronomy, Department of Botany and Department of Chemistry, UAF jointly arranged the event. Chief Meteorologist Dr Ghualam Rasool and Agronomy Department Chairman Zahid Atta Cheema also spoke. The High Commission said that ten Nigeria agricultural institutes would collaborate with UAF to work together and to get advantage from each other skills. He said that Pakistan and Nigeria were enjoying long relationship. He praised the role of Pakistani doctors and teachers for extending their help in the past. He said that Pakistan and Nigeria joint venture was being set up to further boost up the cooperation. He said Nigeria is having a population of more than 160 million which is a hub of West Africa. The country was depending on agricultural in 70’s and 80’s but with the exploration of oil and gas, now they are using it as an opportunity. He invited the Pakistani investor at his country to refine and process the gas and other raw material. The market has the potential of 1.5 billion dollar with custom free policy. He said that they were major palm oil producer. They exported the trees of palm to Malaysia and now it is proving its mettle in the palm oil production. He stressed the need to have the joint efforts to cope with the food security which is posing a threat especially for the developing countries. He also told that massive flood hit his country last year that is responsible for the damages of 2 billion dollar losses to the economy. UAF Vice Chancellor said that UAF is the ranked in the top 300 universities of the world. He said Centre for Advance Studies (Food Security) was being set at the campus to address the issue. He said that the university had the history of opening sub campuses to provide the quality education to the dwellers. That includes Dera Ghazi Khan campus upcoming Ghazi University, Toba Tek Singh Campus and now the venture are Burewela, and Chowk Azam Layyah. He said that UAF was also working with International Livestock Research Institute, a Kenyan Programme, for the promotion of livestock sector. Zahid Atta Cheema presented eh welcome address and stressed the need to step up efforts for addressing the issues of climate changes. He said that the climate changes were being havoc with the lives and the agricultural production. It is need f hour to enhance the steps to fight with challenge.