Addressing a meeting of the board of governors of the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC), Minister for Food and Agriculture, Sikandar Hayat Bosan, is reported to have painted a gloomy picture of its research environment, attributing it to career stagnation, which is quite understandable.
More to this, the minister said that over 100 scientists were stuck at current levels for the last 10 to 15 years, while a large number of them were suffering from delays in their pension and pay fixation. Again, as he pointed out, there were "intractable issues resulting from audit objections relating to the past 15 to 20 years, with more than 1,500 scientists falling as its victims.
Needless to point out, that such a gloomy picture of research activities, as already been identified and scant attention paid to the need for promotion of higher education, with a tormenting neglect of research is only at our own peril.
With untiring focused efforts for advancement of science and technology, some improvement has been recorded in this sphere in recent years. However, it will be noted that a lot more remains to be done. Some idea of what is yet amiss may, of course, be had from the situation as portrayed by Minfal Minister.
Significantly, however, it will be recalled that, speaking on a different occasion, in December last year, he had pointed out that less resources for research, small number of scientists, fewer support staff per scientist, low ratio of PhDs, along with insufficient operating funds for research, figured, prominently, among factors responsible for impeding performance of the national agricultural research system.
At the same time, he had also noted that, ideally, investment in agricultural research should not be less than 1.5 percent of the GDP, lamenting that our spending on it was not even one percent. Nevertheless, he sounded optimistic about the future, pointing out that with the induction of Agricultural Linkages Programme (ALP), the agricultural research scientists had been provided with sufficient operational funding.
Again, as he had then observed, the responsibility of ALP implementation was entrusted to PARC for setting up Agricultural Research Endowment Fund (AREF) from the sale proceeds of wheat, equivalent to Rs 1.3 billion, and that the income from it was to be used for promotion and support of ALP research activities, in line with Pakistan's long-term research and development goals.
As for now, notable should be the Minister's remarks that 'Vision 2030' and the Medium-Term Development Framework (2005-2010) have set out ambitious targets for growth in agriculture sector with emphasis on diversification into high value agriculture, water use efficiency, improved productivity, profitability and competitiveness in global markets.
Again, as he pointed out, the key to achieving these targets lies in a vibrant and innovative research system. As such, his assertion that this could be made possible only when PARC scientists are provided with the kind of working environment that nurtures science and technology, should appeal to reason. For, as he rightly remarked, due to issues relating to career stagnation, more than 100 scientists were stuck at their current levels for more than 10 to 15 years.
As a result of which, as he aptly noted, scientists are leaving the organisation to join other institutions / universities at higher levels, while a large number of them and support staff are languishing from delays in their pension and pay fixation.
Add to these, the predicament from appointments and promotions not being made, strictly in accordance with the set procedures, it will certainly bring to the fore the grim reality of demoralisation of PARC scientists. As such it is expected that paying heed to his assertions, the PARC's board of governors would take appropriate measures to help resolve these long pending matters to helping create the needed working environment for research.
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