Meeting with All Pakistan Fruit & Vegetable Exporters, Importers and Merchant Association

Monday, 16 November 2020

Events 2020

Dated:16 November 2020
VC Prof Dr Asif Ali Meeting with All Pakistan Fruit & Vegetable Exporters, Importers and Merchant Association
A meeting of the Vice Chancellor, MNS-UAM Prof Dr Asif Ali with Waheed Ahmad patron-in-chief of All Pakistan Fruit & Vegetable Exporters, Importers and Merchant Association (PFVA) and his team was held. The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Dr. Asif Ali briefed the participants about academic, R&D and community outreach activities of the university to bring improvement in the livelihood of farmers and overall Agriculture sector. Mr. Waheed Ahmad presented the road map titled “Horticulture Vision 2030” a proposed strategy for accelerating the scope of horticulture for economic growth of Pakistan, developed by Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) and All Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable Exporters, Importers, and Merchants Association (PFVA) after conducting Provincial Consultations with various public and private sector stakeholders in all provinces of Pakistan. The presentation encompassed statistical outlook of Horticulture Industry of Pakistan, challenges for development of the horticulture industry for economic growth of the country, short, medium and long term measures for export growth, and sectoral interventions. It was highlighted that there is a huge scope for horticulture export in the global market, but unfortunately, Pakistan though an agricultural economy has very less share in the world export. The significant challenges faced by the horticulture industry includes global warming, climate change, water stress, farmer financing and adoption, technology, R&D, value addition and market provision. The participants also discussed strategies for effective implementation of the “Horticulture Vision 2030” in the industry and reviewed various ways of developing linkages between the University and PFVA including "practical training" during the academic part of the curriculum related to Horticulture sector, students’ internship with the leading exporters of fruits and vegetables with reasonable stipend, revision of existing curriculum of the University to made it realistic by incorporating views of the leading exporters, and discuss mango and tomato supply chain etc. It was emphasized during the discussion that the horticulture industry could only be improved through extensive research and development and implementation of latest modern trends. The implementation of the objectives of “Horticulture Vision 2030” will create huge employment opportunities in the country and uplift the economy of Pakistan. At this occasion a Memorandum of Cooperation was also signed between MNSUAM and PFVA for mutual collaboration and partnership in the areas of mutual interests. Pro Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Ishtiaq A. Rajwana, Director ORIC Dr Zulifqar Ali, Director External Linkages Dr Shafqat Saeed, Dr. Irfan Ahmad Baig & Director QEC Dr Hamad Nadeem Tahirt with other faculty members are also present in this meeting After the meeting, the Patron-in-Chief PFVA and his team visited different departments of the university, bioflac and kitchen garden facilities, hydroponic unit, small tree system, research farms and labs. The PFVA team appreciated the University for making significant development and improvement in a short span of time.