The University of Agriculture Faisalabad staged first Entrepreneurs Festival in which 70 start-up companies put their stalls on display to promote the culture of becoming job providers rather than job seekers. The exhibition was arranged by Office of Research, Innovation and Commercialization (ORIC) UAF, Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI) and Faisalabad Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FWCCI).
FCCI President Shabbir Hussain Chawla, along with UAF Vice Chancellor Dr Muhammad Iqbal Zafar inaugurated the expo following a seminar on Value added-food product and opportunities for entrepreneurs. They were flanked by FWCCI President Rubina Amjad, ORIC Director Dr Zahir Ahmad Zahir, Dean Faculty of Food Sciences Dr Masood Sadiq Butt, National Institute of Food Sciences and Technology Director General Dr Tahir Zahoor, Turkish Professor Dr Mithat Direk from Selcuk University, Turkey, Dr Muhammad Younis, FCCI Chairman Dr Habib Aslam Gaba, Dr Abdul Rasheed, Dr Khurrum Zia, Dr Abdul Naveed and other notables.
In the exhibition, 70 per cent of the stalls were set up by women entrepreneurs ranging from garments, grocery, food items, decoration, jewellery, and others innovative products. Dr Iqbal Zafar said that we have to take measures to hone the entrepreneurial skills of students to make them self-employed, adding that one idea can change the society. He said that poverty and unemployment are one of biggest challenges which we are confronting. He said that with innovations, we can compete with rest of the world. He said that active participation of women in socio-economic activities was prerequisite to development.
He said that invention of plough brought the revolution in the agriculture sector. He was of the view that invention of wheel, telephone and computer etc. not only made the lives easier, but also raised the standards of living and unlocked the new avenue of businesses. Shabbir Hussain called for strengthening academia, and industry ties in order to address different challenges and to increase the productivity. There is a need to tap the potential. He stressed upon the students to think out of the box and start new businesses in order to move the country to new heights of economic progress and prosperity.
Dr Zahir Ahmad Zahir said that innovation works as lifeblood of the economy and it is termed as a key ingredient behind its sustainable progress. He said that such platforms give opportunity to new start up to showcase their business and a platform for both academia and industry to collaborate on innovative concepts and products.