PARB approves Rs 450m for 30 research projects

LAHORE: Punjab Agriculture Research Board (PARB) has approved Rs450 million budget for year 2012-13 for funding high priority research projects under competitive grant system (CGS).

The approval was given in 27th meeting of the PARB under the chairmanship of Agriculture Minister Malik Ahmad Ali.MPA Rao Kashif Raheem, PARB CEO Dr Mubarak Ali, Forest & Fisheries Secretary Shah Nawaz Badar, Livestock Secretary Irfan Elahi, representative of Finance Department and Kissan Board were also present in the meeting.

The budget was approved for 30 new agriculture research projects including all the running projects under the umbrella of PARB. The board examined outcomes of the evaluation report of 12 randomly selected PARB funded projects and expresses satisfaction on the evaluation of these projects.

The board also approved the recommendations of the selection committee against two posts of executive members of PARB. Agriculture Minister directed PARB and other agriculture experts to formulate knowledge-based agricultural policies for precision agriculture, productivity enhancement and resource conservation. He said that agriculture and livestock sectors are top priority of Punjab Government.

These vital sectors contribute major role in economic development of Pakistan and hence must be addressed to harness the hidden potential in these sectors, he added. He said that Punjab government is trying its best to boost result-oriented research in agriculture and livestock sectors.