ISLAMABAD, March 20: Weed Sciences can play an important role in the improvement of agricultural economy of the country, Higher Education Commission (HEC) Chairman Dr Attaur Rehman said.

“Weed Science is one of the most important areas to be seriously developed in an agricultural country like ours,” he said while speaking as chief guest at the inaugural ceremony of a two-day International Weed Conference at the University of Arid Agriculture.

He said weed scientists should come forward to boost scientific research, which would in turn expedite socio-economic development of the country.

The conference is being organized by the University of Arid Agricultural with the collaboration of Weeds Science Society of Pakistan and the NWFP University of Agriculture, Peshawar.

Eminent weed scientists from Australia, Iran, Afghanistan and other countries have been invited to the event to share their research experiences with local experts.

Prof Ata asked the participants to study the genetic structure of weeds in order to develop new weedicides. He offered to support the initiative by funding through goal-oriented research projects.

He said the main concern of the colleges was to transfer existing knowledge from teacher to student, while a university was judged by its ability to create new knowledge, being a seat of research and creativity. Universities, he said, were now ranked on the basis of their impact factor.

The HEC chairman stressed that the universities should act as pools of creativity, and called on the agricultural scientists to inspire students not only to work for degrees, but for knowledge for the sake of application in their lives.

He asked the Weed Science Society of Pakistan to hold a series of lecturers by eminent foreign and local experts, adding that the HEC would make arrangements for their video-conferences involving students.

Earlier, UAA Vice-Chancellor Prof Khalid Mahmood welcomed delegates and expressed the hope that the conference would be a successful event. He also hoped that measures would be developed for weed management to ensure sustainable agriculture development.

NWFP Agriculture University Peshawar Vice-Chancellor Dr Said Khan Khalil and Weed Science Society of Pakistan President Khan Bahadar Marwat also spoke on the occasion.

APP ADDS: The Higher Education Commission (HEC), Prof Dr Attaur Rehman, on Monday said the government was committed to promoting quality education and elevating literacy rate in the country.