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Published 04 Mar, 2012 01:07pm

Science policy needs to be researched for poverty alleviation

FAISALABAD: Science policy itself needs to be researched for its enhanced impact with a special focus on unprivileged class keeping in view alleviation of poverty and hunger from the globe.

This was stated at a meeting of German Scientists Dr Bernhard Tischbein and Dr Christopher Conard with University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) Vice chancellor Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan at his Chamber here on Friday.

Faculty of Agriculture Engineering Dean Prof Dr Rai Niaz Ahmad and Department of Irrigation Chairman Prof Dr Allah Bukhh were also present on the occasion.

The meeting also reviewed a project aimed at improving science policy for development, fighting water crisis and enhancing the agricultural productivity of the country.

Dr Bernhard, who is working with ZEF, Centre for Development Research, University of Bonn, Germany said goal of his organisation is to contribute with the research and education to enhancing sustainable human development and combating poverty in the developing world.

He said that his organization strived to strengthen international development research in Germany, Europe and developing nations.

Talking about areas of research, he said that ZEF is working on three dimension including political and cultural resource, economic resource, and ecological resources.

He said ZEF’s water research agenda is focusing on physical, socio-economic, political and legal contexts for devising an integrated approach in this regard.

The role of environment cannot be evaluated without considering environment and social conditions.

They stressed the need for creating awareness among the masses to conserve water as Pakistan is being counted in the list of water scarce country and in future the situation would worsens.

Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan said that the UAF had inked 53 international Memorandum of Understanding and actively working with various international organizations for the growth of all field especially agriculture.

The country was facing a threat of food insecurity that must be coped with enhanced efforts, he said adding that since the inception of the country, the production of the major crops had gone up manifold but now the stagnation was being observed.

Talking about the university, he said the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) recognized the R&D activities of the UAF and described it best institution of the Islamic world and announced S&T Award-2012 with $ 10000 cash prize.

It is worth mentioning here, the delegation will stay here for ten days in which activities including overview of the remote sensing and hydrological modeling laboratory, missing data in existing data-way forward, visit to PMIU, Lahore, trainings and workshops will be held.

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