PESHAWAR, Aug 11: NWFP Governor Khalilur Rehman has stressed the need for developing and maintaining linkages with the farming community, agro-based industries and allied organizations on regular and sustainable basis to ensure planning of research activities in accordance with priorities of the agencies concerned.

Speaking to educationists, researchers and students at the NWFP Agriculture University after laying the foundation stone of the academic block of its faculty of animal husbandry and veterinary sciences on Thursday, the governor said research must be aimed at solving problems, which was only possible if the researchers had close contact with the respective communities.

The project is expected to be completed in 15 months at a cost of Rs26.2 million.

The governor said the per acre yield in the province was low, despite the availability of sufficient level of technical know how, trained manpower and vast land.

“This is the age of research and per acre yield in some advanced countries is more than double as compared to that in our country,” he said.

He said that Pakistan, being a predominantly agro-based economy and 10th largest country in the world, having far better soil strata and environment as compared to many advanced countries, was importing dairy items.

He said the country faced risks and challenges with the introduction of the World Trade Organization regime and efforts should be made to convert those into opportunities.—Correspondent