The 4th 6-day workshop on strengthening extension skills of young professionals in Afghanistan and Pakistan

The 4th 6-day workshop on strengthening extension skills of young professionals in Afghanistan and Pakistan kicked-off at University of Agriculture Faisalabad aiming at further strengthen the participatory extension skills in working with farmers. The trilateral workshop of USA, Afghanistan and Pakistan is an outcome of understanding between the leadership of three countries to make the agriculture a way forward and an instrumental key to give an impetus to socio-economic development of both the neighboring countries. During the six-day workshop organized by Office of Research, Innovation, and Commercialization (ORIC) UAF, numerous US experts including Dr. Jim Hill, Dr. Chelo Abrenilla, Jerry Peters, Chuck Schuster, Pannkuk Chris, Louise forguson, Grant Dewell, Jacquline Wilson, and Andrew Robertson from seven US institutions were delivering lectures to the participants of Afghanistan and Pakistan. In a welcome address to the participants, Director, Office of Research, Innovation and Commercialization (ORIC) Prof. Dr. Rao Asif Ali Khan highlighted both tangible and intangible benefits of the workshop in revolutionizing the stagnant agricultural sector of both the countries through making various interventions in crop and livestock production. He said that beside Afghan participants, five from Punjab, 2 from Sindh and one each from KPK and Baluchistan were among trainees of the workshop. He hoped that owing to happening of workshop at UAF, its faculty would certainly get benefit from the rich experience of the trainers. He described the workshop high yielding to get the perceived objectives. Dr. Jim Hill, the team leader of trilateral workshop said the basic philosophy behind organizing the event was only to look forward and explore new window of opportunities, he said, to how we can help each other in making the people of both countries engaged in productive activities. He said six US universities including Iowa State University, Purdue University, University of Maryland, Washington State University, University of California, and US Institute of Piece (USIP), were participating in the workshop with an exclusive involvement of US experts belong to extension, livestock management, and participatory involvement.