The University of Agriculture Faisalabad will map out Pakistan Agri-Vision 2020- 2047 meant to ensure modern trends in the agricultural sector at par with international standards with the nexus of food, water, energy and environment. It will also help increase the share of agriculture in GDP from 60 to 120 billion US dollars.

In this regard, a meeting was held at Syndicate Room, that was chaired by UAF Vice Chancellor Dr Muhammad Ashraf, while Agrivision Lead Persons former UAF Vice Chancellors Dr Riaz Hussian Qureshi, and Dr Bashir Ahmad attended the meeting. Former Vice Chancellor UVAS Dr Muhammad Nawaz and all deans also spoke on the occasion. Dr Muhammad Ashraf said that we were stuck to five crops whereas it was need of the hour to shift to high value crops. . He was of view that the committee will work on the agenda comprising small farm mechanization, agricultural ecological zones, innovation tools to control the crop, animal diseases, high value agriculture, precision agriculture using artificial intelligence, resilient agriculture keeping in view climate changes, floods etc in view, input, exploitation of alternative energy resources, marketing and price, malnutrition, conversation of crop germplasm and others areas. He said that the five years plans would be worked till 2047 so that we can transfer a healthy agriculture and prosperous farming community at the great occasion of century celebration of our homeland. He said that the agriculture research funding must be exceeded to 5 percent of Gross Domestic Product. He said that lack of availability of quality and certified seed was the hurdle to boost agricultural production. He called for ensuring the quality seed in the market. Dr Riaz Hussain said that the population of the country will surpass 350 million by 2047 so that we can take concrete measures to uplift the agriculture sector for a bright tomorrow. He said that for producing enough food, we need to ensure good soil health, quality irrigation water, minimize production cost, good seed, fertilizer, pesticide, herbicide, use of high tech agriculture practice, smart agriculture., etc. He said that the small agriculture implements were essential to jack up per acre agriculture production in the country. He added the low profitability for the farming community was hampering the uplift of the sector. He added commissioned research works must be carried out to address the problems of the farming community. Dr Bashir Ahmad said that small farmers were consisting of 92 percent of the farming community. He said that in Punjab, 50 percent of irrigation was being done through ground water, costing Rs 240 billion. He recommended establishment of small dams for the agriculture irrigations for the said cause. He added that in the developed countries, the farming association was collecting fund for the researches of their problems. The model can be replicated in the country also. He said that due to increased urbanization, the agricultural land was diminishing, posing a threat to food security. He showed his concern that the agriculture sector was stagnant for the last two decades Dr Muhammad Nawaz said that we have to tap the potential from livestock breeds which are not explored. He said that malnutrition was the serious area of concerns and the people must be educated about balanced food. He called for enhancing efforts to meet the Sustainable Development Goals for the prosperity of the country. Registrar Umar Saeed Qadri, Deans Dr Aslam Khan, Dr Masood Sadiq Butt, Dr Asgher Bajwa, Dr Zafar Iqbal Qureshi, Dr Sarfraz Hassan, Dr Aslam Mirza; Director Planning and Development Irfan Abbas, Director Research Dr Zahir Ahmad Zahir and others attended the meeting,.