FAISALABAD: Regional Training Course (RTC) on agriculture came to a close on a high note at Nuclear Institute for Agriculture and Biology (NIAB), a leading research institution of Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC), here.
The RTC which commenced on October 6 was titled “Advanced Mutation Breeding Techniques for the Improvement of Nutritional Quality.” Organized under the framework of the IAEA technical cooperation project RAS5101, the training course brought together 30 participants from 14 member states of the Agency including Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Fiji, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam besides Pakistan. Whereas two IAEA experts, one from China and another from Bulgaria, also took part.
Addressing the concluding ceremony as Chief Guest, Prof. Dr. Muhammad Youssef Saleem, Director General, Agriculture & Biotechnology, PAEC, congratulated IAEA, NIAB and the participants for making the interactive training course successful. He said, “Pakistan’s population is increasing at a fast rate and while the country is blessed with diverse landscapes and a varied climate, it is severely affected by the impacts of climate change and natural calamities. We have to adapt to climate change and its impacts. This is not only true for Pakistan but also the region.”
On the occasion, Dr. Zia-ul-Qamar, the Course Director from NIAB said, “I would like to thank you all for the active participation in the course which resulted in gaining valuable hands-on-experience. The RTC was very helpful in grooming technical skills of all stakeholders and building enduring relationships that will go a long way.”
Dr Kai Wang, the IAEA expert from China, commended Pakistan’s consistent role in supporting regional capacity building.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025