University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) is pursuing a proactive agenda of internationalization, infrastructural development and capacity building of future leaders by involving them in field activities. This was stated by Prof. Dr. Iqrar Ahmad Khan Vice Chancellor UAF while addressing the participants of inaugural session of a training program of “Impact Evaluation Study of National Program for Improvement of Water Courses in Pakistan” here in New Senate Hall on Friday morning.

Dr. Iqrar A Khan said honesty in science is very important and the trainees need to conduct their survey and analyze the data with responsibility that their findings would be submitted before Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Planning Commission and other agencies.

He told that the evaluation of a national water project was a test case for UAF and he was hopeful that this will take a long way for bringing better collaborations in future as it was the first tear of a national project. He told that fifty years back this region was a desert and all prosperity became due to evolution of canal system by the colonial rulers.

Dr. Iqrar A Khan urged the trainees to accomplish their assignments with dedication and honestly that will certainly give them a direct exposure to the field and first hand experience of the factual position on ground. He said “every year UAF produces about 4000 theses but the people involve in such field activities, their thesis based on reality would get due recognition and acceptance” he added.

Dr. Iqrar Ahmad stimulating the faculty to become consultants of various national and international agencies as they have competency and vigor to undergo any assignment of this nature by adopting the formal channels “Everyday Pakistan used to host international consultants, whereas world over the knowledge is created and disseminated by universities by its outreach activities” he added. Director UAF Water Management Research Centre Prof. Dr. Rai Niaz Ahmad in his welcome address told more than 90 young professionals of UAF and Sindh Agricultural University Tandojam participating in the training workshop and they will earn good name for their institutions by performing their evaluations taking all related issues in minds.

Earlier, briefing the participants about evaluation program, Dr. Muhammad Ashfaq Chairman Department of Agri. Economics said that a mega project of 66 billion rupees was executed by the Federal Water Management Cell and funded by Ministry of Food and Agriculture to improve 86000 water courses and water tanks out of which about 57000 water courses have been improved so far. He told that the team will evaluate about 978 water courses out of 6000 sample size. Mr. Asad Bukhari thanked the participants.