Agriculture scientists urged to initiate productive projects

Secretary, Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock Shafqat Naghmi has urged the agriculture scientists to develop such projects, which have positive impact on the country's economy. This he stated while presiding over the 4th meeting of the Programme Steering Committee (PSC) of Research for Agricultural Development Programme (RADP) here at the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) Headquarters.
It is to be noted that RADP is one of the initiatives taken by the government to achieve the research and development goals and objectives of the Medium Term Development Framework (MTDF), and Vision 2030.
Main objective of the RADP is to provide timely response to emerging and re-emerging research issues and problems; provide autonomy to PARC to prioritise and implement its research agenda within the main ambits of 22 research themes approved in the project for each sector ie crop sciences, natural resources, animal sciences and social sciences - with its own and approved implementation mechanism through established PARC systems of Technical and Finance Divisions, Procurement, Civil Works and other support services.
The other objectives of the RADP are to upgrade and strengthen the depleting research infrastructure at various centers of PARC by supplying sophisticated and state-of-the-art equipment, farm machinery, office equipment, green houses and repair of irrigation system and old buildings. It also aimed at improving the lab to field mobility of scientists, equipment, inputs and update/improve communication links. It has also to cater for the human resource development, add fresh blood to the scientific community and arrange experts in the areas where PARC lacks expertise.
Naghmi said that productive projects needed to be initiated to bring radical changes for strengthening economy of the country and alleviate poverty. Naghmi said that globalisation has brought additional challenges with the need for much greater reliance on new crops, activities, institutions and public-private partnership. A rapidly increasing population particularly of poor and small farmers and increasingly skewed distribution of access to land and resources has created a much more pronounced need to move from resource-based to science-based agriculture, he added.
Dr Muhammad Afzal, Chairman, PARC said that the research for agricultural development programme was designed to address the current and emerging needs of science-based agriculture development to achieve food security on sustainable basis.
He said that scientists should focus on framework of the project for efficient performance. While giving detailed briefing on the project, Dr Nisar Ahmad, Project Director, RADP explained the objectives of the project, which include food security, poverty reduction, economic efficiency and export competitiveness; serve as a mechanism for timely response to emerging research issues and problems such as pest epidemics for crops and livestock, nutrient deficiency, climate change, etc. maximise productivity per unit of land, water animal, labour and capital and move from research output to innovations in terms of products and services suitable for small holders. On this occasion Additional Secretary, Minfa Khizar Hayat, Technical Members of the PARC bestowed precious suggestion.