Students gear up to help boost wheat production

UAF pupils to visit villages for updating growers on modern trends

FAISALABAD:

Students of the University of Agriculture Faisalabad will go from village to village to guide the farming community about modern trends and experts’ recommendations in the sector as part of a campaign of Punjab government to increase the per acre productivity of the wheat crop.

The students of the university’s Faculty of Agriculture will be sent on a 10-day visit to the villages next week for the purpose.

UAF Vice Chancellor Professor Iqrar Ahmad Khan announced while presiding over a meeting of the university’s academic council that the initiative was discussed during a visit of the Punjab minister and secretary for education to the institution last week.

He said it was discussed that increase in per acre wheat production was essential for the country to become self-sufficient, for which UAF students should go to villages to provide required information to the farmers ahead of the sowing season.

Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan said that heavy imports of essential food commodities despite the fact that Pakistan is an agricultural country were a matter of concern.

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Agricultural scientists, farmers, related government officials and other stakeholders should make concerted efforts to improve the situation.

“Progressive farmers are getting wheat yields of up to 80 maunds per acre, while our average wheat production is limited to 31 maunds,” the vice chancellor said.

He said the UAF was expanding its scope and introducing a new system in line with international standards to enhance its capacity and conduct practical research.

He said the country was facing the worst water shortage and food security crises, to address which adoption of a knowledge-based economy was the need of the hour.

The VC said that a UAF Technology Transfer Centre would be set up to ensure that solutions based on modern research are shared with the farmers.

UAF Agriculture Faculty Dean Dr Amanullah Malik briefed the council on a Self-Assessment Report System. Under the system, agricultural education and research would be improved through a competitive environment and transparency, he said.

He urged the campus community to do their level best to solve the problems faced by the farming community and hone the skills of the students to lay the foundation for a better economy. Registrar Tariq Mehmud Gill also addressed the meeting.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 2^nd, 2021.