Although Pakistan is having surplus food but 40 percent of its population is malnourished that is a matter of grave concern, said University of Agriculture Faisalabad Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan.

Although Pakistan is having surplus food but 40 percent of its population is malnourished that is a matter of grave concern, said University of Agriculture Faisalabad Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan. He was addressing a workshop on Higher Education Commission Technology Development Fund at New Senate Hall. The event was arranged by US Pakistan Center for Advanced Studies in Agriculture and Food Security, University of Agriculture Faisalabad. He said that the country was having surplus wheat upto 10 million tonnes and one of largest producers of milk and meat. He said despite all, the fact is this that malnutrition is hitting 40 percent of people. He said that affordability issue and lack of awareness are aggravating the problem. He said that researches should not be piled up in the libraries. It must be transformed into goods and services to address the problems of a common man. He said that HEC had initiated a scheme from Technology Development worth Rs 2.9 billion in which UAF researchers should come up with research proposals to ensure the food security. He said that the UAF competitive research grant portfolio is the highest in the country which is touching to 2.5 billion. He also added that agriculture was facing the stagnation for the last decades. He said the post-harvest losses were touching 35 percent. USPCAS-AFS Chief of Party Dr Bashir Ahmad said agriculture growth is under the grip of declining trends. Whereas the population was increasing with a large pace. He stressed upon the need to tangible steps to face the situation. Finance and Grant Manager Shahzad Zahir said technology won’t work if it is not profitable for the industrialists or having the risk. Director ORIC Dr Muhammad Aslam and Dr Abdur Rasheed also spoke on the occasion.