ISLAMABAD: Minister for Education and Professional Training, Engr. Muhammad Baligh Ur Rehman Wednesday emphasized the need to promote research on horticultural plants and allied aspects to ensure food security in the country.
He stated this while addressing the inaugural session of three days International Horticulture Conference organized at Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi (PMAS-AAUR).
While stressing on the value addition of horticulture produce, the minister said that Horticulture sector had a great potential and it was a backbone of the country's agriculture sector.
The Conference was organized by PMAS-AAUR Department of Horticulture in collaboration with Higher Education Commission (HEC) and Pakistan Society for Horticulture Science, with an aim to identify gaps/priorities for sustainable development in horticulture and to facilitate networking, collaboration & exchange of ideas with international experts.
Emphasizing on olive cultivation, the minister said that Pakistani land was very much suitable for it and stressed the need to conserve water by introducing innovative irrigation techniques, such as sprinkler & drip irrigation, and to ensure maximum productivity per drop of water.
He said that the agrarian productivity could be increased manifolds by transferring modern technology to small farmers.
He said hydroponic/soilless system was a milestone in increasing the capability of agro-products and PMAS-AAUR made ensure to train farmers for this technology to increase production rather than relying on traditional instruments.
While talking about the achievements of present government, he said that Pakistan had attained milestones in economic and energy sectors during the past four years which paved the way for a prosperous and stronger country.
"Pakistan’s GDP enhanced from 3.68 to 5.28 percent and we have been targeting to take it to almost six percent," he said and added the present government took number of steps to give more attention to educational sector by enhancing its budget from Rs. 41 billion to Rs. 90 billion.
The Minister appreciated the organizers of conferences and said that the eminent scientists, educationists, researchers from different countries would definitely share their latest technical and research related outcome of horticulture which would lead to open new avenues for the scholars in the agricultural universities and contribute a magnifying role for the wellbeing of the country's farmers.
Earlier, PMAS-AAUR Vice Chancellor, Prof Dr Sarwat N Mirza, welcome the participants and hoped that the three days stay of valuable horticultural scientists would bring a positive change to give a school of thought pushing the people to come and play their optimistic role in the growth of horticulture especially in the Pothohar region.
He said that processed horticultural produce had tremendous export potential due to high demand in export market for graded fruits, citrus juice, mango pulp etc.
CPEC would further boom the horticulture commodities, he added. He hoped that the conference would help for the promotion of this sector.
PMAS-AAUR, Dean Faculty of Crop and Food Sciences Prof Dr Nadeem Akhtar Abbasi, in his key note address explained the horticulture sector in detail.
He also shared the participants regarding horticulture scope in the country, its production technologies, supply chain systems and post-harvest management for enhancing quantity and quality of produce.
The conference was also participated by the foreign delegates from China, Italy and Netherlands in which they will discuss different areas of horticulture including production technologies, nutrition, pre & post-harvest physiology, value addition, supply chain, insect & disease management, propagation & nursery certification system, biotechnology/tissue culture, market opportunities and challenges.
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