MoU signed to promote Pak-China technology transfer and cooperation
ISLAMABAD, Sept. 25 (Gwadar Pro) - An MoU among Institute of Tropical Bioscience and Biotechnology of CATAS in China, MINSOL Consultants (Pvt) Limited, Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi, Muhammad Nawaz Shareef University of Agriculture, and the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, in Pakistan was signed on CATAS-UAF Workshop on Tropical Agricultural S&T Cooperation on Thursday.
The main purpose of this MoU is to promote technology transfer and cooperation among the five parties based upon mutual equality.
Syed Fakhar Imam, Federal Minister for National Food Security, highlighted the development of human resources that can bring about the changes and transfers of technologies. “We hope that under the CPEC program, we can build up capacity, upgrade germplasm resources, enhance value addition and transmit the research outcome to the growers and farmers,” the minister said.
“Communication and exchanges between scientists from both countries should be an ongoing process mechanism,” he added.
Dr. Li Kaimian, Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences (CATAS) believes that China-Pakistan tropical agricultural science and technology cooperation has broad prospects. CATAS is undertaking a key R&D project - “Integration and Demonstration on Palm Production Technologies in Pakistan” with UAF and exploring cooperative opportunities with other institutes of Pakistan in sugarcane.
Mr. Chen Yixi, Division Director, Science and Technology Department of Hainan Province, explained that tropical agriculture is a characteristic industry of Hainan. Hainan and Pakistan share many similarities in crop production, and both sides are highly complementary in this regard, especially in tropical cash palm crops and sugar crops, including coconuts, oil palms, dates, and sugar cane.
“Hainan has a good research foundation in trial planting and cultivation of new varieties of oil palms and coconuts, inter-cropping forages under date palm trees, comprehensive prevention and control of red palm weevil in date palm plantations, and tissue culture of virus-free sugarcane seedlings. We can provide scientific and technological support for the development of the above-mentioned industries in Pakistan.” Mr. Chen Yixi added.
Dr. Gu Wenliang, Agricultural Commissioner, Chinese Embassy in Pakistan underlined that, “China is willing to share its successful experience in agricultural and rural developments with Pakistan, strengthen cooperation in various fields of agriculture, revitalize the agriculture industry to achieve sustainable growth and benefit people of two countries by continuously advancing the progress of CPEC.”
Prof. Dr. Iqrar Ahmad Khan, Vice-Chancellor, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Punjab, stated it is necessary to involve an incubated company and universities from different parts of the country.
Mr. Awais Ahmad Khan, Counsellor Political, Pakistani Embassy in Beijing, Dr. Qamar uz Zaman, Vice-Chancellor, PMAS Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi, and Dr. Asif Ali, T.I., Vice-Chancellor of MNS University of Agriculture, maintained that both sides have laid a good foundation and enjoyed huge potential for cooperation and the MoU signing will enhance the bilateral collaboration.
