'Over 85 percent farmers suffering from vitamin-A deficiency'

More than 85 per cent farmers are suffering from deficiency of vitamin-A and 47 per cent are not getting adequate volume of calcium. Keeping in view the farmers' needs the agriculture scientists should come up with logical solutions to their problems.
The Chairman, Pakistan Agricultural Research Council, Islamabad, Dr Zafar Altaf expressed these views, while addressing the senior faculty members of UAF here in new senate hall of the University on Saturday morning. Dr Zafar Altaf informed the faculty that only 27 per cent water is being utilised by the farmers, while rest of it destroys due to mismanagement and lack of knowledge in this regards.
Commenting on India-Pakistan controversy on building bridges/dams on the rivers, he called upon both countries to make consensus on cropping patters so that both countries could safeguard their interests more efficiently. He said that indeed research funds are very much essential to transform an idea into reality but knowledge is an effective driving force behind any idea.
He asked the scientists to keep their own analysis honestly, and give the farmers the most appropriate alternatives so that they can enhance their income and make their lives prosperous.
Earlier, while welcoming the Chairman, PARC, UAF VC Professor Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan said that the world intends to collaborate with Pakistan on climatic issues, high efficiency water irrigation, biotechnology, and precision agriculture, as the our country has the capability of doing outstanding in all fields.
He told the gathering that Australia is going through extreme waves of climatic change and its various agricultural organisations want to undergo collaborative research with Pakistan, which needs to be harnessed by UAF scientists. He maintained that agriculture has the tremendous potential to revive the economy so we need to improvise the technology and expand it through modern tools and techniques.
He told the gathering that UAF has submitted various projects of Rs 3,500 million to national and international funding agencies so as to cope with the growing challenges of enrolment, student/teacher ratio, hostels and other state of the art facilities for the stakeholders.
Dr Iqrar told the chief guest that his institution is the mother of all agricultural universities of the country, which manned newly established agricultural research organisation with its vibrant and talented graduates. He said that UAF has focused on investing biotechnology, precision agriculture and mitigation/adaptation for climate changes.
He said that UAF intends to take a handsome number of students of rural background after matric, who have passion and instinct to agriculture. Dr Iqrar was of the view that UAF is going to start new programs regarding rural development, textile chemistry and D-Pharmacy from the next sessions.