National Institute of Public Administration Peshawar

FAISALABAD April 29: The modern agriculture technologies must be reached out to farming community that will not only increase the productivity but also make it a profitable profession. It is said by University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Zulfiqar Ali while talking (online) to the delegation of 37th Senior Management Course regarding inland study tour of National Institute of Public Administration Peshawar. Dr Zulfiqar Ali said that in wheat, the progressive farmers were getting double production than the average per acre productivity. He said that technology was available but ordinary farmer was not applying latest techniques. He said the agricultural sector was facing the serious challenges including climate changes, low productivity, soil and other issue. He reiterated the university’s commitment to producing highly skilled and technically sound professionals who can serve as change-makers in the agricultural sector. He stressed that improving soil health is fundamental for sustainable farming. He called for measure to address water scarcity and increase awareness about modern farming practices. He said timely and latest information should be in farmers’ approach. He emphasized the role of extension services and digital communication tools in bridging the gap between research and field application, especially for smalls farmers. He said that the Punjab Seed Council has recently approved “Chenab Pasta-24,” a new drought and heat-tolerant Durum wheat variety developed by University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF). He said that UAF in collaboration with Washington State University, has developed wheat lines resistant to climate changes, and will be entered in varietal approval process soon. He said that under the international collaboration, the Centre for Advanced Studies (CAS), the Pakistan-Korea Nutrition Center (PKNC), the Chinese Confucius Institute, and the Seed Testing Laboratory are established at UAF that are playing instrumental roles in tackling food security challenges. Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Muhammad Sarwar Khan also attended the meeting.