A flock of Makhi Cheeni goats near Hasilpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan (photo credit: ILRI/M Sajjad Khan).
‘The US Agency for International Development (USAID), the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), and the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) launched a new project to expand the use of modern technologies in Pakistan’s agriculture sector.
‘PARC Chairman Dr Iftikhar Ahmad said that with the strengthening of relations between CIMMYT and PARC, country’s agriculture sector will boost and particularly enhance wheat and maize production during a high level foreign CIMMYT delegation visit to NARC Campus headed by Dr Tom Lumpkin.
‘The PARC chairman also earmarked site for Establishment of CIMMYT office in Pakistan at NARC Islamabad PARC and the Mexico-based CIMMYT announced the launching of the four-year $30 million Agricultural Innovation Project (AIP) in Islamabad. . . .
The project will also include expertise from sub-awardees International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), World Vegetable Centre (AVRDC), International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), University of California (UC), David and PARC. . . . CIMMYT will be the primary implementing partner and prime grantee, managing and taking responsibility for the overall program and overseeing the cereal systems portfolio. The ILRI will manage and support the livestock portfolio, while AVDRC will play a similar role in annual horticulture, IRRI will do for rice, and UC-Davis will have responsibility for human resources development and perennial horticulture. . . .
‘Currently, Pakistan’s agricultural sector is growing at a much slower pace than other sectors. “Pakistan’s agricultural productivity has fallen behind comparable countries with similar agro-ecologies,” said CIMMYT Director General Thomas Lumpkin. “There is a tremendous potential for growth, but we must act now.”. . .’
Read the whole article in the Daily Times (Pakistan): Project launched for usage of modern technologies in agri sector, 12 Mar 2013.
The Pakistan Observer also covered this story: New US-sponsored project to help modernize Pakistan’s agriculture, 12 Mar 2013.
Filed under: Dairying, Drylands, Feeds, ILRI, Intensification, Launch, PA, Pakistan, Pastoralism, Project, Small Ruminants, South Asia Tagged: AIP, AVDRC, CIMMYT, IRRI, Pakistan Agricultural Research Council, Thomas Lumpkin, USAID
