UAF Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan presents souvenir Acting Australian High Commissioner Paul Molloy

Acting Australian High Commissioner Paul Molloy on Thursday said that Australia was committing to uplift the agricultural sector of Pakistan and supporting the country in this regards. He was addressing the University of Agriculture Faisalabad scientists involved in various projects with Australian organizations at Syndicate Room, UAF that was presided over by UAF Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan. The Australian High Commissioner said that UAF have a range of projects with different Australian organizations that will bring the prosperity especially on the horizon of agriculture. He urged the UAF scientists to keep working with the commitment and submit their innovative ideas before his country for funding in order to excel in different sectors that would pave way for the development. He said: “ Idea is an issue but money is not ”. He was optimistic that the scientists of the varsity will continue to putting their heads with the same spirit to fight the challenges of food security including availability, affordability and accessibility. The UAF Vice Chancellor said that establishing of Lorry Water House’s chair at the campus is in the offing to address the genetic and breeding issues of various crops. He said UAF is a partner and beneficiary of Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) project and engaged in citrus and mangoes research activities and we need to expand our areas in order to address the various issues including water, energy and climate changes. He said that UAF is sending ten PhD students to University of Sydney in near future to boost up their capabilities that will help Pakistan to cope with the agricultural problems. He said ACIAR project in India was a diversified programme covering a large range of activities with the special focus on food security, water issues and climate changes. He called for kicking off the programme on the same pattern in Pakistan. He said that the UAF had strong ties with the university of Sydney, University of Queensland, Western Australia, and Charles Sturt University and working on the different projects and Students and Faculty Exchange Programme in order to build their capacity that was prerequisite to make the development.