FAISALABAD-The country population will be double by 2050 for which tangible steps are needed to ensure food that is a challenge for experts, policy-makers and stakeholders.
Addressing a meeting of assistant professors and lecturers here on Tuesday, UAF Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad said that as per reports, the world would be having 75 percent more food than its requirement by 2050 due to latest technologies.
Registrar Muhammad Hussain conducted the proceeding.
He said that adoption of Precision Agriculture and Genomics are essential to reduce cost of production and get more food from the same land. He said that the UAF is making all-out efforts for address the issues of the farming community, stakeholders, civil society and the campus community. He said quality education and tangible researches pertaining to social, scientific, industrial and agricultural issues work as engine for bright future of the country.
He said that the UAF has introduced 42-demand-driven new degree programmes keeping in view need of the modern era. He said that the University current enrolment has increased 50 percent in the last three years. He said that 50 percent of the enrolment consists of women and the university is actively working on gender mainstreaming. He said that the university is taking all measures to educate the needy and deserving people. In this regarding the Financial Aid Office is providing scholarship worth Rs90 million annually. He also announced for faculty members who obtained the indigenous PhD to be send abroad to gain more confidences. He said that Teachers Resource Centre would be established at the campus for the trainings of the faculty.
He said that Confucius Centre is set up at the campus with the help of China. He said the UAF has also established the Centre for Advanced Studies in Agriculture and Food Security worth 30 million US dollar sponsored by USAID. The centre is focused on climate changes, biotechnology, precision agriculture and policy researches. He also thanked Punjab Government for setting up state-of-the-art hostel for 1,000 students at the UAF, which is the biggest hostel in the country.