Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi (PMAS-AAUR) andKarl Jaspers Centre for Advanced Transcultural Studies , University of Heidelberg Germany, will work together for promotion of organic  farming in Pakistan and to raise awareness among the farmers  to end the use of synthetic chemicals and increase the demand for safe food for consumers.

This was decided in a meeting between PMAS-AAUR Vice Chancellor, Prof. Dr. Rai Niaz Ahmad and Julia Poerting, form Karl Jaspers Centre for Advanced Transcultural Studies, University of Heidelberg Germany here on Tuesday.

In the meeting it was decided that University of Heidelberg will provide  technical and financial support while PMAS-AAUR will facilitate the people by creating awareness on export quality agriculture produce i.e. organic farming techniques and producing value-added products,  particularly in Pothwar area.

 Both organizations also agreed to initiate collaborative activities in academic areas of mutual interest such as exchange of faculty and researchers for purpose of teaching, conducting lectures and research, exchange of expertise & students, conducting collaborative research projects, jointly organizing symposia, seminars, and conferences as well as sharing of academic information and materials.

Prof. Dr. Rrai Niaz Ahmad Vice Chancellor PMAS-AAUR, while sharing his views emphasized the significance of organic farming for the agricultural economy of Pakistan. He further said that new initiative to promote organic farming in Pakistan will help generate better income for farmers in the country. 

Organic farming is the best option for producing quality and healthy agriculture products at cheaper costs to cater to domestic needs, besides attracting international market,” said Dr. Rai Niaz Ahmad. He further said that Pakistan needs to promote organic farming that has potential of niche markets for high-value, non-conventional, indigenous and agricultural products.

He was of the view that the government should provide subsidy, financial and technical support to the farmers for organic crops cultivation. It is needed to shift our agriculture trends towards saving the nature and this will give us safe agricultural products and the power we use to dispose of our solid wastes, he added.  He stressed that it is right of our next generation that if we can’t give them a better environment, we have no right to worsen it any more.

He said that the linkage is a significant step taken by University in promoting higher education through international linkages. He expressed his belief that academic collaboration can make an important contribution to enhancing higher education in countries like Pakistan if it is developed and delivered responsibly and effectively.

The Karl Jaspers Centre for Advanced Transcultural Studies, University of Heidelberg Germany and PMAS-AAUR will soon enter into a memorandum of understanding for collaboration in the identified areas of cooperation regarding the organic farming in the country in the area. Next year both organizations will arrange Conference on Organic agriculture and poultry production in PMAS-AAUR to create awareness among the farmers, regarding organic farming.