Experts on Saturday called for stepped up efforts to develop and promote value chain and decent work in agricultural sector that will not only help alleviate poverty but also fetch heavy foreign exchanges.

Experts on Saturday called for stepped up efforts to develop and promote value chain and decent work in agricultural sector that will not only help alleviate poverty but also fetch heavy foreign exchanges. They were addressing International Symposium on Global Value Chains Decent Work Deficit in Agriculture: Present Challenges and Future Prospects arranged by Institute of Business Management Sciences, University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF). IBA University Sukkur Vice Chancellor Dr Nisar Ahmad Siddique said that agricultural is the backbone of our economy that is contributing 20 percent to Gross Domestic Product. He said that illiteracy was one of major challenge for the country that is root cause of many problems. He added that there is need to promote the latest trend in the agriculture sector in order to alleviate poverty and to increase productivity in the country. He said that qualified son of a farmer does not want to be a farmer. He called for taking measures to make agriculture a profitable profession. He said that they had initiated talent huint program in IBA. The scope of the program is being widened in the all provinces of the country. He said that without ensign the quality education, we cannot compete with rest of the world. Center for Advanced Studies in Agriculture and Food Security Director Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan said that the country was having the surplus food, thanks to agricultural scientists, farming community and policy makers. He said that at the time of the inception of the country, the country population was just 35 million which has now risen to 210 million. Before green revolution, per acre wheat production was 8 mounds whereas now, the average farmer is getting 50 mounds wheat per acre. He said that the gender mainstreaming was the vital to make the development and to address the various issues. He said that knowledge has no boundaries. ICDD provides the platform to learn from other nation experiences especially in the field of agriculture. He lauded the initiatives of Punjab Agriculture and Rural Transformation Program . UAF Vice Chancellor Dr Muhammad Iqbal Zafar, in his message, said that in the recent years, global value chains have emerged as important development strategy. The developing countries consider it as an opportunity for export diversification in the global economy. He said that overtimes, boarders between economic sectors had become increasingly blurred due to the globalization and fragmentation of production. He added today international production systems have changed the traditional way of looking at investment, production, finance, information systems, and technology. There is a need to bring about the changes in the overall production and marketing system. The global agricultural productions system are now more about the social and integration of multicultural and economies in the modern era. He lauded the steps being taken on the part of ICDD. Muhammad Nawaz Shareef University of Agriculture Multan Dr Asif Ali said academia-industry strengthened ties were imperative to compete with the rest of the world. He said mechanical picker had been introduced in Multan that will not only increase cotton production but also address the confronting health issues of female pickers. He said that International Center for Development and Decent Work is the consortium of eight countries to work together on agriculture and social issues in which UAF and MNSUA were partnered. He said that as many as 61 students were awarded scholarships in the International Center for Development and Decent Work. Government College Women University Faisalabad Vice Chancellor Dr Naureen Aziz Qureshi called for stepped up efforts for the gender mainstreaming. She said that the women were outshining to men in the education. She showed his concern that despite the fact of providing excellent services, women are low paid. She said that a large number of women are working in the agriculture field. She said that there is a need to bring tangible steps to address the issues of women. Punjab Agriculture Research Board Chief Executive Officer Dr Noorul Islam said that due to heavy work of agrarian, the country is the food secure country. He said that there is need to work on the high value profitable crops to earn the foreign exchange. He said value chain of the produces will help us to find our share in the international market. He said that PARB research portfolio has crossed to 700 million rupees. He said that PARB is funding 41 projects of Canter for Advanced Studies in Agriculture and Food Security. He said he himself had worked on 23 new varieties of different crops that are making marvelous results. Akua Britwum from University of Cape Coast Ghana said in the developing country, agriculture was playing a pivotal role in poverty and hunger alleviation. He said that women are engaged with agricultural sector at a large number in the development country. He said that there is a need to promote decent work in agriculture, ensuring fair income, wages on time, and work condition etc. He said that 43 pecetn of women are associated with agriculture in developing countries. He said that use of chemical in agriculture was provoking health and environmental issues. Dr Waqar Akram from IBA University Sukkur said that they are running a joint degree program of BBA Agri businesses with the UAF. It is producing a skilled manpower in the agri businesses. The students spent two years in UAF and remaining two reaming in IBA Sukker. Agriculture University Peshawar Pro-Vice Chancellor Dr Noor P Khan, Dr Amanullah Malik, Dr Muhammad Ashfaq, Dr Younus, Incharge IBA Dr Abdul Ghafoor, Dr Mubashar, Dr Hammad Badar and other notables also spoke on the occasion.