ISLAMABAD, Jan. 11 (INP): University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) will set up a learning and coaching center that will pave the way of arranging remote Pak-China online agriculture training.

The Center will be a model farm where students and farmers would be imparted training about the use of modern technology for agriculture.

Spread over 12 acres, the learning and coaching center, and model farm would be set up under academia-industry linkages, says a report published by Gwadar Pro.

“In Pakistan, 80% of farmers are small farmers,” said Prof Dr. Muhammad Jalal Arif, principal officer of UAF. “Small farmers are now confused about where to catch the information, the seed, and the advanced technologies and facing mechanization and the profitability issues.

So our university wants to provide services to those farmers. Since farmers and students are trained together, students can also learn from farmers with practical experience.”

Within the training center, different departments are playing different parts. “As a professor of entomology, we give the training about how to apply pesticide without harming the environment.

The seed department provides services about how we can use the safe and certified seed and how we can execute the better seed quality. In the department of soil and environmental sciences, they provide training on the use of fertilizer and nutrients.

Similarly, we are also training on the growing of vegetables and fruits, giving them the whole plan from production to export.”

“Farmers used to turn up sessions physically. Now, most of the training is online through the website and the media.”

The online training experience also makes the remote Pak-China online agriculture training possible. “We have Pakistan's number one Chinese Confucius center at our university, where the Chinese language is being taught. We also trained our graduates from China.

We have learned many technological advances from the government of China through academician researchers.

I will talk to the Confucius center and other authorities about the provision of how farmers and experts from both countries can exchange agriculture technology online,” he said.

INP/javed