Staff Reporter
Faisalabad
University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) and Engro Fertilizers Ltd. has jointly established two community outreach centers in villages Khanna Labana and Saranwala of district Sheikhupura. These centers have been established with the support from Technology Development Fund (TDF) of Higher Education Commission of Pakistan. Professor Dr. Khalid Mahmood Chaudhary, Director Institute of Agri.
Extension and Rural Development, inaugurated these community centers. He said that farmer-researcher interaction is very important to address multiple problems of small farmers.
He said that University of Agriculture Faisalabad is working for improving food security and rural development in the country.
Scientists of UAF and Engro Fertilizers Ltd. are working together for enhancing agricultural productivity through ICT based information system.
A farmers’ day was also organized in village Khanna Lubanna of Tehsil Murdike, District Sheikhupura.
Dr. Babar Shahbaz, Principal Investigator and Associate Professor, said that the purpose of community outreach centers is to provide training opportunities to the farming community within their villages about latest agricultural technologies with the help of modern information technology tools. He said that the university team, in collaboration with the PAVE project of Engro Fertilizers Ltd. is developing information portal, mobile applications and agricultural videos as part of Integrated E-Learning system for agricultural technology transfer.
These community centers are equipped with latest computer and internet access for the benefit of the farmers of area. The farmers can access latest information about crop and livestock diseases, marketing issues and post-harvest techniques within their doorsteps. mong rural people.
Abid Ilyas Dar, Project Director (PAVE) Engro Fertilizers emphasized the importance of quality seed production for vegetables, rice and wheat crops.
He said that establishment of community centers is an excellent initiative and Engro team will work with the scientists of UAF for uplifting agricultural productivity in the area. He said that PAVE team of Engro Fertilizer is working in 200 villages of Sheikhupura and Gujranwala for the production of quality seeds and promoting entrepreneurship among rural people. Abid Ilyas Dar said that University-Industry partnership is very important for conducting need based actionable research and making information accessible to the farmers.
