ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Agriculture Research Council and the China Lanzhou University plan to establish the Ecological Cycle Agriculture Research and Development Centre with an aim to promote research and development in the agriculture sector.
A four-member Lanzhou University delegation led by Science and Technology Department Director Dr Ruijun Long on Monday visited the National Agriculture Research Centre (NARC) where it was briefed in detail about the working of PARC, NARC and their research and development projects.
PARC Chairman Dr Iftikhar Ahmad, members and secretaries of the council, NARC Director General Dr M Azeem, International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) Pakistan Country Representative Dr Jesra and other senior officers of the council were also present on the occasion.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Ruijun said that the Lanzhou University president is scheduled to visit Pakistan in September during which agreements for the development of agriculture and collaboration between the two institutions would be discussed in detail. He said that memorandums of understanding (MoUs) and agreements between the two organisations would also be signed during the visit.
He added that before this visit a renowned professor of the university is also scheduled to visit Pakistan in July. The aim is to enhance and strengthen collaboration between the two institutions in science and technology, he said. His university, he added, has been providing higher education to foreign students, which include students from Pakistan.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Iftikhar Ahmad stressed the need for implementing the agreements for the benefit of both the organisations. He said that growth of the agriculture sector was important to ensure poverty alleviation. He expressed the hope that the centre would become a hub for promoting research and high learning.
It is pertinent to mention here that both the institutions have had signed an MoU for Biomass Energy Research and Application in 2013, expanding friendship and cooperative educational exchanges.
Earlier, NARC DG Dr Azeem gave a detailed presentation to the visiting delegation on the working and performance of NARC. He briefed the delegation about the research conducted at the center on various crops and other agriculture yields.
