Quality education and tangible researches are prerequisite to combat different issues including poverty, unemployment, low per acre yield, post-harvest losses, food security, health problems, climate changes, environmental hazards, weak academia-industry linkages, import bill, social problems and others, said University of Agriculture Faisalabad Vice Chancellor Dr Muhammad Ashraf.

Chairing deans and directors meeting at Syndicate Room, he said that the country was facing various challenges for which academia, and researchers have to provide solid solutions to cope with issues of common man, industry and farming community. He urged the faculty members to work on innovative ideas, think out of box and to fetch fruitful research projects for uplift and sustainability. He said that despite the fact of being an agrarian country, we were importing agriculture goods worth billions of rupees. He urged the UAF researchers to develop new varieties keeping the climate changes and new trends in views, prepare recommendations, and valuable research works to address the issue at national level. He added that the agriculture is the backbone of our economy, contributing 20 percent to the Gross Domestic Product. He viewed that that we have to adopt the latest agricultural trends to ensure the food security by boosting up per acre production. He said that increment in per acre productivity was the need of the hour that would not only jack up our production, farmers’ income but also help alleviate poverty. He said that we have to identify priorities areas to conduct valuable research and development work in order to reduce import bill and agricultural prosperity. Talking about UAF, he viewed that increasing students-teachers ratio had become a challenge and it was affecting the quality of education. He said that new staff induction and promotion matters will be addressed at the priority basis to ensure education quality. He urged the university teaching staff to refurbish the skills of students empowered with ideal characters. He said that new initiatives will be taken to move the varsity in world three reliable ranking including QS; Times Higher Education Ranking; and Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU). He lauded the services and contributions of Dr Zafar Iqbal Randhawa, Pro-Vice Chancellor, for the development of the varsity.