UAF VC Prof. Dr. Iqrar Ahmad Khan address the participants of a launching ceremony of PGDC on Food Safety at UAF

Punjab Food Authority will start its operations at Faisalabad in the next two months aiming at arresting the malpractices in the whole food supply chain system and ensure the food safety standards in Faisalabad. This was stated by Secretary Food Mr. Irfan Ali while addressing the participants of a launching ceremony of Postgraduate Diploma Course on Food Safety and Control as chief guest at New Senate Hall on Monday morning. The Secretary said that the government has transformed a 40 years old system by establishing a food authority with objectives to look and regulate the whole food supply chain system through a team of food professionals. Now the governments of Sindh, KPK and Balochistan are pursuing the Punjab Government for making such arrangements in their respective provinces. He said owing to prestigious institution, able faculty and state of the art teaching and research facilities, UAF has become a mainstay of our operations and the linkage between UAF and PFA is an integral part of the mutual goals. He said Punjab Food Authority is been manned by UAF graduates and by keeping in view the upcoming offshoots of the authority in other cities of the province, PFA will be the major employer of food graduates produced by UAF. He asked the University management for providing policy support for future guidance adding that food production, manufacturing, and future supply chain need to be regulated effectively. The secretary vowed to sign an MOU with UAF for further boosting the collaboration. Earlier, UAF Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Iqrar Ahmad Khan (SI) said that UAF is a proud player of producing best human resource to serve the industry, business and farming community at large. Referring towards emerging global trade trends, he said we need to link our curriculum with international job market thereby to address the issues as a responsible member of the international community. He described the newly offered diploma course a stepping stone towards degree programs in food science. He said University is very conscious about the issues of food security and safety issues hence it is going to be a national policy center for agriculture and food security “we will voice our heads on data with imperial evidence neutrally and without any partiality for improvements in the system” he added. Dr. Iqrar Ahmad Khan said globally diseases are categorized on the bases of malnutrition and bad food habits or obesity so we need to make the people aware of their food so that they remain vigilant about their food habits, food mindsets and knowledge about the contents what they are eating. He extended his full support to make the new diploma course a success story. Officer Incharge Trade Related Technical Assistance (TRTA II) Program Mr. Ali Abbas Qazilbash said that his organization took the first such initiative in Pakistan to develop PGDC in collaboration with 3 universities, including University of Karachi, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS), and University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) with an emphasis on practical proficiency development. He said PGDC is supported by European Union (EU) funded Trade Related Technical Assistance (TRTA II) Program, implanted by United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in association with International Trade Centre (ITC) and world Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in three universities of the country. He said under the program, the partner universities will be further supported to gain international accreditation of the courses from the Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland. He said the course objective of the program was to develop professionals for development, implementation and auditing of food safety and control in the country thereby to enable Pakistan develop capacity to meet the global food safety and quality requirements and enhance competitiveness of food products. He was of the view that postgraduate qualification in food safety will enhance the employability of young graduates and at the same time increasing the safety of locally produced food products, both for internal consumption and for exports. He revealed that the government has change the nomenclature of the post of food inspectors with food safety officer with minimum qualification of 16 years in food technology which will further gear up the pace of betterment in the sector. DG Punjab Food Authority Mr. Asad Islam Mani said the authority is working vigorously to make the people involve in food production, and manufacturing aware of the stringent regulation of malpractices and on the other hand to formulate standards, procedures, processes, and guidelines in relation to any aspect of food including food business, food labeling, food additive, and specify appropriate enforcement systems; specify procedures and guidelines for setting up and accreditation of food laboratories; formulate method of sampling, analysis of samples and reporting of results; specify licensing, prohibition orders, recall procedures, improvement notices or prosecution; provide scientific advice and technical support to the Government in matters related to food; collect and analyze relevant scientific and technical data relating to food; establish a system of network of food operators and consumers to facilitate food safety and quality control; organize training programs in food safety and standards; promote general awareness as to food safety and standards; levy fee for registration, licensing and other services; and to certify food for export. DG NIFSAT, UAF Prof. Dr. Faqir Muhammad Anjum and Asstt. Professor Dr. Atif Randhawa also spoke on the occasion. Earlier visiting secretary food Mr. Irfan Ali inaugurated the Agri. Exhibition at D-ground and inspected various stalls and termed the exhibition a step to be followed by other Agri. Universities of the country.