Agricultural university to set up exhibition zone

Centre will educate farmers about modern farming practices.

FAISALABAD:

The University of Agriculture Faisalabad is setting up an exhibition zone costing Rs120 million in an effort to promote state-of-the-art agricultural technologies and practices.

University Vice Chancellor Dr Iqrar Ahmad laid the foundation stone of the facility on Wednesday, which has been funded by the Endowment Fund and will be completed in 18 months.

The exhibition centre will consist of a display hall, art gallery, convention room, auditorium, audio and video labs, aquarium and meeting rooms.

Speaking on the occasion, Iqrar Ahmad said the objective of the project was to transfer knowledge and promote modern research and technology in producing agricultural goods and services.

He said scientists of the university and other research organisations would showcase state-of-the-art technologies and agricultural implements for promotion and commercialisation that would encourage public-private partnership.

The zone would also fine-tune entrepreneurship skills of scientists and students and educate farmers about modern farm technologies and practices, which would boost productivity.

“Though agriculture is contributing 22 per cent to the gross domestic product, we are lagging far behind due to traditional way of farming,” Ahmad pointed out.

Citing an example, he said traditional farmers were getting only 28 maunds of wheat per acre while progressive growers harvested 80 maunds per acre.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 29^th, 2011.