Sargodha: Commissioner Sargodha Jahanzeb Awan and Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Waseem on Sunday visited the University of Sargodha and met Dean of Social Science Department Prof Dr Masood Sarwar Awan and other deans. The purpose of visit was to get information about the aims and objectives of the Roller Economic Transformation Lab, which was formed by mutual cooperation, presented suggestions to play a role in the development of agriculture in this region in collaboration with the administrative institutions.
Prof Dr Masood Sarwar Awan said the main objective of RET lab was to strengthen the local economy by solving agricultural problems through research-based policies. He said that through the lab, local rural people and organizations had to meet their needs and priorities and ensure sustainable measures, as well as provide technical advice on crop management, cattle care, best practices in agriculture and facilitate access to modern agricultural technology.
Prof Dr. Masood further informed th
at through RET lab, support would be provided in the implementation of agricultural business planning, market research and access to financial resources, planning and implementation of programs related to rural education, health care and local governance. Better cultivation of crops, higher yield strategy would be developed. He said links between farmers and agribusiness personalities would be facilitated, adding that new markets would be explored for agricultural products of Sargodha division. He further stated that another objective of the lab would be to provide guidance and support to those interested in agricultural business and also to assist in accessing the registration and financing of such businesses. Other university experts said that reducing dependence on one crop, proper use of fertilizers, agricultural drugs and seeds, protecting crops from diseases, soil analysis, proper and timely use of water, apart from the use of modern agricultural machinery were included in the project.
The
y said that 80 percent of Pakistan’s middle class lives in the villages, adding that agriculture accounts for 4% of GDP and in some developing countries it accounts for 25% of GDP, this lab would help to make the people living in the villages economically prosperous. The experts said that a pilot project of RET lab had been done in Chak No. 118 North of Sargodha, which was expected to achieve encouraging results. Commissioner Jahanzeb Awan termed the Roller Economic Transformation Lab was an important step towards sustainable development and emphasized the need for the administrative bodies to provide full support to the stakeholders.