July 14, 2003	Monday	Jumadi-ul-Awwal 13, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, July 13: The Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) chairman, Dr Badaruddin Soomro, has said the Agricultural Linkage Programme (ALP) will strengthen the national agricultural research system.

He stated this in a meeting with Dr James Stevenson, leader of the programme, US Food Security, United States Development Agency, who called on him at the PARC headquarters on Sunday. They discussed the ongoing projects under the ALP and their progress and strategies.

The PARC is responsible for operation of the ALP Fund. It includes selection, processing, approval, monitoring, evaluation and coordination of projects, supported in whole or in part by the fund.

The fund shall accept proposals for research and development grants from all public or private entities that demonstrate needed research and development capabilities and financial responsibilities.

Out of the total commitment of Rs1,300 million, Rs900 million was released to the PARC in the ‘Endowment Fund Account up to 2002-03’ while the balance amount of Rs400 million is needed for speeding up the activities of the ALP.

Welcoming Dr James Stevenson, Dr Badaruddin Soomro said the ALP had been instrumental in mounting the PARC research agenda which aimed at productivity enhancement and poverty alleviation, imports of substitution, export orientation and sustainable resource use.

He said the PARC had top-class scientific-trained manpower with potential to achieve national objectives, but efforts of the scientists were seriously hampered by financial constraints.

He said agricultural research needed investment for innovative initiatives for stable and sustained growth, revival of economy and for playing a key role to ensure food security.

He assured the USDA associate programme leader that the PARC would continue on its endeavour to strengthen the agricultural research system in the country.

Mr Soomro said in the coming years their agricultural research system would certainly be of a high level and much developed with the support of ALP activities. The operational procedures of the ALP need to be modified to accommodate facilitation of the visiting scientists, he added.

Dr Stevenson appreciated the efforts of the PARC leadership and scientists. He hoped that Rs400 million would be released to AREF/PARC on priority basis by the government for smooth running of research activities and for enhancing productivity.