Staff Reporter Islamabad
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) delegation led by his Excellency Ihsan Mustafa Yardukul, Tarkish ambassador to Pakistan along-with Mr. Gokhan Umut TIKA head, visit the Honey Bee Research Institute (HBRI) NARC on Wednesday. To kick off the inauguration ceremony of TIKA-PARC project titled as “TIKA Honey bee research lab and domestication of modern Turkish beehive in Pakistan” which is a significant collaboration between Pakistani and Turkish government to equip Pakistani beekeepers with Turkish modern Bee keeping technology.
The Turkish delegation was warmly received by Dr. Azeem Khan, Chairman PARC and Dr. Rashid Mehmood, Director HBRI-NARC while Dr. Khalid Rafique Scientific Officer / Project Incharge of TIKA-PARC project with other high officials was also there.
Ceremony was started by recitation from Holy Quran and after that P.I. Dr. Khalid Rafique gave a brief overview of the said project.The main objectives of the project are, to establish advance Honeybee Queen Research Lab with molecular level research facilities at HBRI & Domestication and Adaptation of Turkish model bee hive in Pakistan for higher honey production and colony productivity. TIKA will provide all kind of financial assistance for establishing this lab.
Chairman PARC looks forward to the next level partnership with TIKA in which processing, certification and export of Pakistani Honey will be the prime focus. He says this lab research work will help in improving the standards of quality queen bees in Pakistan for higher honey production. Under the LOI agreement between PARC and TIKA that was took place last year, TIKA will be responsible for up gradation and renovation of the advanced queen bee research lab at HBRI, NARC.
