Working Group for Agriculture holds meeting at UVAS

LAHORE, The Working Group for Agriculture constituted by the Punjab government held its second meeting at the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS) Lahore on Saturday. MPA from Layyah Malik Muhammad Ali Aulakh, who is heading the working group, chaired the meeting while MPAs Malik Khurram Ali Khan, Mian Ghulam Sarwar, Shameela Aslam, Ajasim Sharif, Mian Muhammad Rafique, UVAS Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Muhammad Nawaz, Secretary Livestock and Dairy Development Babar Yaqub Fateh Muhammad and officials from L&DD Department and deans of faculties of the UVAS attended.

Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Muhammad Nawaz gave a presentation on the history, academic, research and developmental activities of the university. He said that the livestock sector was contributing 11 per cent to national GDP and 50 per cent in the agricultural GDP while its export earnings were 12 billion dollars annually. He said that realizing the increasing need for manpower in this sector, the government upgraded the College of Veterinary Sciences Lahore to an independent university (UVAS) in the year 2002.

The VC said that the focus of the university’s academic and research programs was on poverty alleviation of rural masses. He said the university’s academic programs covered all areas of livestock and related sectors like dairy, fisheries and wildlife. He said that the UVAS was offering six undergraduate and about 20 postgraduate degree programs besides its certificate and diploma courses and training programs and extension services for farmers.

He said that the UVAS had started DNA testing of animals and produced a kit to check adulteration in milk and also produced vaccines against bird flu and foot and mouth disease. He said that the university was presently working on 20 ongoing research projects while another 20 research projects were in the pipeline for funding.

He said that development work was in progress on the Ravi Campus at Bhuneki with the funding of the Punjab government and the Higher Education Commission.
The working group members lauded the academic, research and extension programs of the university and its role in livestock development. They assured all financial help for the university’s development projects by the new government.

Later the L&DD Department officials gave a briefing to the working group on their working in livestock extension, breading, artificial insemination, VRI, etc.

News by:
Waseem Shaukat
Media Coordinator,
University of Veterinary & Animal Sciences, Lahore