FAISALABAD: University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) and Bank of Punjab (BOP) inked a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate in the area of agriculture. UAF Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan and Bank of Punjab Group Head, Human Resources Alia Zafar inked the MoU. Pro-Vice Chancellor Dr. Anas Sarwar Qureshi, Prof Dr. Khalid Mehmood, Director Research Dr. Zaheer Ahmed Zaheer, Manager Academia Industry Linkage Dr Khurram Zia, Research Officer Farooq Ahmed, Incharge Business Incubation Center Muhammad Imran Munawar, Punjab Bank Group Head Retail Asif Riaz, Head Agriculture Credit Sarfraz Hussain, Unit Head Cooperative Communication Asad Zia, Regional Head Agriculture Faisalabad Shahbaz Ahmed and others also attended. Under the MoU, Punjab Bank will provide agricultural investment opportunities to fresh graduates and farmers linked with UAF while paid internship opportunity will also be offered to the students.
The University will provide opportunities for the Bank of Punjab to exhibit agri-focus products. On the occasion, Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan said that due to mushroomed growth of residential colonies, agriculture land was decreasing with each passing year. He lamented that due to low profitability, the farmer’s son do not want to become a farmer. He said that modern trends need to be promoted and loans on easy installments for small farmers should be enhanced. He said, “We have to increase the financing facility for the farming community”. Bank of Punjab Group Head Human Resources Alia Zafar said that majority of the population was linked with agriculture sector. She said that all resources were being made available for the uplift of agriculture sector. She pinned hope on graduates of the UAF to play a significant role in the development of agriculture. Bank of Punjab Group Head Retail Asif Riaz said that loans were being given to farmers on easy installments so that they could adopt modern trends not only for economic prosperity but also to ensure food security.