A three member Chinese delegation from Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) here on Tuesday visited University of Agriculture, Faisalabad and held meeting with Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Muhammad Iqbal Zafar.

The CAS delegation comprising Prof. Dr. Yanjun Shen, Prof. Dr. Jiansheng Cao, Dr. Leilei Min, and Dr. Muhammad Umair was flanked by UAF Prof. Dr. Manzoor Ahmad Chaudhry, Dr. Muhammad Irshad and Mr. Muhammad Bilal Arshad Director Bilal Farms, Khanpur Dist RYK Punjab Pakistan. The Chinese delegation which was associated with Key Laboratory of Agricultural Water Resources, Center for Agricultural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) is partnering UAF experts in One Belt and One Road Special Project on Agriculture water saving and water resources in China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Talking to the visiting Chinese delegation, UAF Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Muhammad Iqbal Zafar said that out of total available water on earth 97.2 percent is of ocean followed by 2.15 and 0.61 percent of Glaciers and ground water respectively so we need to conserve the precious water resources by adopting water saving and high efficiency irrigation techniques. He told that University experts are putting their efforts to bring about tangible changes in the irrigation system of the country making it more efficient and introducing new techniques of on-farm water saving. He said that the country is in a dire need of National Water Use Policy to regulate the water use in agriculture, industry and at domestic level that would, he claimed would pave the way for water saving at every possible level. He said underscored the need to arrest the growing number of tubewells pumping a huge amount of water for irrigation purposes, adding that this trend poses new challenges to underground water quality and its sustainable availability. He urged the government to construct new water reservoirs to meet the growing energy and irrigation demand. Later the Chinese delegation along with Prof Dr Manzoor Ahmad and Dr Muhammad Irshad paid visit to Water Management Research Center at PARS to witness the Hydroponic System and other techniques of water saving.