Former caretaker federal minister for National Food Security Dr. Kauser Abdullah Malik said that promotion of new and hi-tech hybrid seed varieties of various crops under public-private partnership could revolutionize the agriculture sector of Pakistan. He added that industry-academia synergy was also need of the hour to achieve this goal, citing that Guard Agricultural Research and Services (GARS) was a best platform in the private sector for industry-academia linkages to promote high quality hi-tech hybrid seeds of rice and other crops. He expressed these views in a meeting with Pakistan Hi-Tech Hybrid Seed Association (PHHSA) Chairman Shahzad Ali Malik here. Dr Kasur, who is also a former dean of postgraduate studies at Forman Christian College University, appreciated their research efforts and emphasized for industry-academia linkage arrangements with the GARS such as collaboration in research and development of new seed varieties; internship programmes.
