May 11, 2008	Sunday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 5, 1429

FAISALABAD, May 10: Agriculture scientists will have to introduce modern technologies for high yield at low price to enable the government to cope with the persistent crisis of food shortage.

Addressing the participants of 33-senate committee meeting of the University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) here on Saturday, vice-chancellor Dr Iqrar Ahmed expressed his disappointment over the implementation of the government’s agriculture loan scheme.

He said the government had earmarked Rs156 million for this purpose, however, only Rs46 million had been given to growers.

He said the slow pace of loan distribution had resulted in current food crisis. Dr Iqrar suggested that the government should recruit agriculture graduates as mobile credit officers for distribution of loans to the farming community. “This will enable the government to avert food crisis in the future.”

Highlighting the agriculture sector setbacks, Dr Iqrar said Pakistan had been producing 12 million cotton bales some three decades ago, which registered a decline over the years. On the contrary, he said, India increased its cotton production from 10 million to 30 million bales and boosted its exports.

He stressed the need for instituting Pakistan Agricultural Council like the Pakistan Engineering Council and Pakistan Medical Council to share experiences of this sector at national and international levels.

Spelling out the university’s performance, he said the administration would soon start research projects in 100 major subjects. Besides, he said the university had signed more than 50 memorandums of understanding with different institutions. He said the UAF would also introduce new research methods for information, nanotechnology and some other disciplines.

He said the university would set up a student service centre having all facilities to train young learners.

Meanwhile, the UAF also presented its budget to the tune of Rs1,370 million for 2007-08. The budget includes Rs902 million for non-development expenditure and Rs466 million for uplift.