FAISALABAD-Nigerian Nassarrawa State Executive Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura yesterday reaffirmed his country pledge to strengthen further d bilateral ties between Nigeria and Pakistan, especially in the field of agriculture to tap each other's potential.
He was talking to University of Agriculture Faisalabad Vice Chancellor Dr Iqrar Ahmad here on Friday. All Deans, Directors, Registrar Muhammad Hussain, Treasurer Umer Qadir, Controller Abdul Wahid, Principal Officer Public Relations and Publications Dr Jalal Arif and other officials also attended the meeting.
Mr Tanko Al-Makura said Pakistan and Nigeria are enjoying cordial relations, adding that his country is a natural oil producing county. "Despite this fact, Nigerian govt has put agriculture on the top of its agenda," he informed, adding that collaboration especially in rice, sugarcane and citrus crops need to be strengthened to get benefit from each other experience.
He said that the UAF is very famous university and centre of excellence in agriculture adding that a memorandum of understanding would be inked between the UAF and Nigerian institutions so that they could get benefitted from the university in curriculum development, research and other areas.
He invited the UAF experts to visit his state and work together with their agricultural institutions to support agricultural sector.
The Nigerian governor emphasised that the collaboration could be worked out to produce Basmati rice in his state.
UAF Vice Chancellor Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan said that joint work of the UAF and Nigerian institutions in the field of the agriculture would result in bringing tangible results. He said that agriculture is the backbone of Pakistani economy, which contributes 21 percent to the Gross Domestic Product of the country.
He said that the UAF is enjoying good relations with the educational and agricultural institutions worldwide. He said that the county is producing surplus production in all major crops
. "We have to work on nutrition security and collaborative work will bring in tangible result to increase production and get benefit from each other experiences," the VC explained.