US to help develop
agricultural sector
By
Shamsul Islam
FAISALABAD, May 5, 2012: Trilateral relations among
Pakistan, Afghanistan and the United States in the field of
agriculture are expected to bring tangible results from
efforts to develop the sector and alleviate sufferings of
the farming community.
Speakers stated this here on Friday at the concluding
session of a five-day international workshop titled
“Strengthening extension skills of young professionals in
Afghanistan and Pakistan”, organised by the University of
Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) in collaboration with the
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Experts from the US, agricultural workers and officers from
Afghanistan and Pakistan participated in the workshop.
UAF Vice-Chancellor Dr Iqrar
Ahmad voiced concern that only 25 lady agricultural
professionals were working in the Punjab Agriculture
Extension Department, which were not enough to meet the
needs of 69% of rural women who were associated with the
agricultural sector.
Rural women were reluctant to get guidelines from male staff
of the agricultural department because of age-old traditions
and norms. “It is a prerequisite to increase the women staff
in the agricultural department in order to transfer latest
technology to women,” he said.
He expressed the hope that the trilateral cooperation would
mostly alleviate hunger and poverty from the region. Still,
“we have to go a long way to excel in the field as lack of
awareness of latest practices is the main hurdle in the way
of progress.”
Discussing the cooperation between Pakistan and the US,
Ahmad said USAID was setting up three centres for advanced
studies in Pakistan covering food security and agriculture,
energy and water to cope with the challenges.
UAF has been selected for the centre for agriculture and
food security, which will help ensure end to hunger and
provide enough food to the country. Ahmad said although
Pakistan was a food-secure country, water crisis had started
turning fertile land into barren.
Courtesy: Pak Tribune
