Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry on Saturday said that the Ministry of Science and Technology will set up Agriculture Technology Taskforce that will be led by University of Agriculture Faisalabad Vice Chancellor Dr Muhammad Ashraf in order to strengthen academia-industry and farmers’ linkages, reduce agricultural import bill and address different agriculture issues

`He was chairing a meeting of the UAF deans and directors at the Syndicate Room, UAF. Dr Muhammad Ashraf gave the briefing about the university’s contributions in the education, science, technology, and agriculture sectors. The minister showed his concern that access to good seed was the major problem for farming community as markets were having abundant inflicted seed which was hampering to gain the good results in the sector. He said that poor quality of pesticides was also one of major hindrance to reach potential. He said that university should devise standards of seeds and pesticides that will be implemented across the country. He concerned that every province, food authorities were having their own standards that need to be uniformed. He said that keeping in view, harmonized national food policy would be mapped out with the help of food experts from UAF. He said that Muslim world is eyeing on Pakistan to take the lead in science and technology. He said many countries including Korea, Malaysia, India and others who got independence with Pakistan were excelling in the area of science and technology. But we could not get the due advancement in the sectors, he said, adding that we have to take concrete measures to become knowledge economy. He said that in 60s we developed rockets and at that time we were inching away from Soviet Union but after that we could not compete with the rest of the world in science and technology. He said that October 2 will be declared as the science and technology day in connection with birth anniversary of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan. He said that the government has allocated record budget of Rs 43 billion for the science and technology. He said that the sciences fair will be staged in coming months in order to showcase and flourish innovative ideas, technology in the country. He said that they would invite the applications from the people from July 15 in this regard and the participants in this fair will be provided intellectual property rights for commercialization.