The transformation of the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) has gained momentum under the leadership of Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain, with a high-level Working Group conducting a comprehensive visit to the National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC) to assess research facilities, technologies and ongoing programmes.
The Working Group on Transformation of PARC comprises Mr. Ahmed Umair, Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Agriculture & Food Security; Dr. Syed Zahoor Hassan, Professor Emeritus and Former Vice Chancellor, LUMS, Lahore; and Rana Nasim Ahmed, Former Secretary (Agriculture), Government of Punjab.
The Working Group visited NIGAB laboratories, the IoT-based Smart Glasshouse, Korea Aeroponics Complex, Fisheries & Livestock Research Station, National Genebank, Horticultural Research Institute, Agricultural Engineering Institute, Speed Breeding Facility, Land Resources Research Institute, Crop Diseases Research Institute, Ecotoxicology Laboratory, Food Science Research Institute and Animal Health Programme.
The delegation was briefed on agricultural biotechnology, genomics, smart agriculture, aeroponics, genetic resources, horticulture, mechanization, speed breeding, food safety, pesticide residue analysis, food science, livestock, fisheries and animal disease diagnostics.
Federal Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain said that transformation of PARC is aimed at making agricultural research modern, demand-driven and results-oriented, with a stronger focus on farmers’ needs and national food security.
He emphasized that research must move from laboratories to fields and that scientific innovations should translate into practical solutions for farmers, higher productivity and improved agricultural incomes.
The Minister stressed greater focus on modern agricultural technologies, climate-resilient agriculture, improved crop varieties, mechanization, biotechnology and value addition to enhance Pakistan’s agricultural competitiveness.
Rana Tanveer Hussain further directed that PARC’s research priorities should be aligned with emerging challenges, market requirements and the country’s food security needs, while strengthening coordination among research institutions and stakeholders.
He said the government is committed to strengthening PARC as a leading national centre of agricultural research, innovation and technology transfer.
The Working Group reviewed the institutional capacity and research outputs of various NARC institutes and will formulate recommendations for improving governance, research priorities, innovation, commercialization and technology transfer under the ongoing transformation process.
