A Stakeholder Meeting and "Workshop on Biofortified Zinc Wheat to Combat Malnutrition" was held at Faculty of Agriculture and Environment (FA&E), The Islamia University of Bahawalpur (IUB), organized by AGAHE in collaboration with the Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture and Environment.
This event aimed to address the pressing issue of malnutrition in the region through the promotion of biofortified zinc wheat. The workshop brought together an impressive array of stakeholders, including agricultural experts, researchers, and government officials. The primary objectives were to orient relevant stakeholders about the project's progress and revised scope, and to encourage the cultivation of biofortified zinc wheat for the upcoming 2024-25 agricultural season. Distinguished guests included: Prof. Dr. Tanveer Hussain Turabi, Dean, Faculty of Agriculture & Environment (FA&E) as chief guest, Prof. Dr. Aown Sammar Raza, Chairman, Department of Agronomy, Dr. Khalid Mehmood, Director, Regional Agricultural Research Institute (RARI), Bahawalpur, Dr. Muhammad Imtiaz, Senior Scientist, RARI, Bahawalpur, Dr. Malik Muhammad Yousaf, Director, Arid Zone Research Institute, Bahawalpur, Mr. Muhammad Imran, Director, Pakistan Counsel for Research & Water Resources, Bahawalpur, Dr. Adnan Badar, Divisional Director, Punjab Food Department, Govt of Punjab, Prof. Dr. Wajid Nasim Jatoi, Mr. Ghulam Murtaza, Senior Scientist, Pesticide Quality Control Lab, BWP Division, Mr. Naveed Ahmed, Director, Agri-Pest Warning, Punjab Agriculture Department, Mr. Abdur Rauf, Director, Federal Seed Certification, Mr. Muhammad Jamil Ghuri, Director, Agriculture Extension Department, BWP, Mr. Ali Hassan, Director, Punjab Seed Corporation, BWP, Mr. Saadi Ahmad, Director, Agri-Water Management, BWP, M. Arslan Akhter, Project Manager, SU BZW and AGAHE Pakistan, Maqbool Hassan & Muhammad Ishfaq, Farming Representatives, Abbas Nagar District Bahawalpur.
Prof. Dr. Tanveer Hussain Turabi (Chief Guest & Patron of Event) in his concluding remarks emphasized the collaborative efforts needed to promote biofortified crops and their potential impact on food security and health in the region. The workshop featured insightful presentations and discussions highlighting the importance of biofortified crops in combating nutritional deficiencies, particularly in vulnerable populations. A lively question-and-answer session followed, allowing participants to engage directly with experts and discuss practical challenges and solutions in implementing the initiative. At the end the Prof. Dr. Wajid Nasim Jatoi, Professor/Convener of event, thanked all the honorable guests for sparing their precious time to participate in this mega event and also thanked Mr. Arsalan Akhtar, Project Coordinator AGAHE-Pakistan for their sponsorship to this event (lunch, shields, certificates etc) and as a token of appreciation, shields were distributed to recognize the contributions of various stakeholders and participants, underscoring their commitment to advancing agricultural practices and improving food security.
