PESHAWAR, :Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Local Government and Rural Development Sardar Faisal Amin Gandapur on Wednesday visited the Food Technology Section of Agriculture Research Institute in Dera Ismail Khan and got himself acquainted with the performance of the center.
On this occasion, Dr. Shehzada Arshad Saleem Saduzai, in-charge of Food Technology gave a detailed briefing to the provincial minister on various laboratories and research farms set up in the institute besides ongoing research activities under the ALP project. The Minister planted a sapling in the lawn of the institute under Green Pakistan Tree Planting Campaign.
Faisal Amin Gandapur appreciated the performance of the research center and said that the farming community of Dera should make full use of its services. He said in Dera Ismail Khan like other parts of the province, this research center of the agriculture department was playing a vital role in introducing new varieties of fruits, vegetables and plants under new food technology trends and their useful usages. The provincial government, he said, will do its best to encourage such innovative efforts, adding the institute officials should increase contacts and interaction with local farmers so that they can properly benefit from their services and facilities.
The Director Agriculture Research Institute also accompanied the Provincial Minister on this occasion while Dr. Shehzada Arshad Saleem, in-charge of Food Technology Section and World Award winning Food Technologist took the Provincial Minister on a tour of various sections of the Research Center. The minister showed keen interest and praised the quality of research work done at Agriculture Research Institute especially Food Technology Section DIK.
On this occasion, he also awarded a certificate of appreciation to Dr. Shehzada Arshad Saleem for his excellent performance and quality research work. Faisal Amin Gandapur said that modern research of Dr. Shahzada Arshad Saleem and his team has not only earned name for Pakistan but also represented Pakistan in the best way in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Iran and African countries which is a matter of pride for all of us. The Minister further said that the provincial government was making serious efforts for the development of the agriculture sector as, he said, this sector is the backbone of the national economy.
“Innovation in the agriculture sector is a matter of urgency so that we can achieve self-sufficiency in food,” he said.
Faisal Amin Gandapur also inspected the dates’ processing center through a hybrid tunnel under ALP project. He took special interest in the modus operandi of the research and production center and hoped that the completion of this project would further increase the fruit production in the region and bring prosperity to the agricultural economy and farming sector.
