Research Achievements

Research Achievements
ANNUAL
REPORT
2010-11
78
UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE FAISALABAD
OUTREACH PROGRAMS
Knowledge is power and skill development is considered to be an important strategy for employment generation,
reducing poverty and hunger, and social development and integration. Through this Faculty Outreach project an effort
has been to link the highly qualified faculty of the university with the society for their education and skill development in
various areas like kitchen gardening, cottage industry, value addition, pest management, human health, seed
production, crop production, animal health and management, high value agriculture, rural poultry and poultry
framing, and Agri. Business and resource conservation. The program was made open to the faculty to identify their
target groups in various segments of the society according to their areas of expertise. During the reporting period, the
target groups identified for skill development by the faculty included farmers, gardeners, labourers, housewives,
working rural women, extension workers and university, college and school students, particularly girl students.
The outreach courses were organized throughout the year but most of the courses were conducted during Sumer
Semester 2010. About 24 proposals were received from Faculty of Agriculture, 6 from Faculty of Animal Husbandry, 2
from Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, 6 from Division of Education & Extension, 3 from Faculty of Agric Engineering, 2
from Faculty of Agric Economics, one from Faculty of Sciences, one each from T.T. Sing and Depalpur sub-campuses and
4 from Collage of Agri, D. G. Khan. Looking at the compatibility of the subject areas, the proposals were grouped
among the proposers within and between the faculties and the cost estimates were rationalized. To share the
ownership with the trainees, the refreshment cost was left to the contribution from them. The courses were conducted
in different areas of district Faisalabad, Chiniot, Jhang, Khanawal, Gujranwala, D.G. Khan, Muzaffar Garh, Bahawalpur,
Cholistan, Rahim Yar Khan, Gujrat and AJK.
More than 2000 individuals, primarily farmers, rural women and youth participated in the program. Even more
important aspect of the activity remains that the faculty members were able to link to the society, identify their
problems and bring back research questions. With the experience gained, it is expected now that the curricula and
research at UAF would be more relevant to the needs of the society and time.
Some of the individuals trained through this project would be able to prepare their own seed, feed for poultry/livestock,
grow Mushroom on commercial basis, grow fruit nursery and plant nursery. The housewives, school and college girls
would exercise their skills in kitchen gardening, fruits and vegetable presentation, and doing art and craft.
Furthermore, the UAF faculty massively contributed in the rescue and rehabilitation of human and animal populations
in the flood affected areas of the Punjab. Under the Outreach program the faculty members from the Faculty of
Veterinary Sciences immediately rushed to the flood affected areas to rescue, provide needed treatment and vaccinate
the Livestock. The major activities were carried out in the most devastated areas of Dist. Jhang and Muzaffar Garh. Later,
more focused relief and rehabilitation activities were performed in the hard hit area of 18Hazarri, District Jhang. The
UAF took total responsibility of providing relief goods and rehabilitation to the flood affected people of 12 villages of
the 18-Hazari and mobilized all possible resources to reduce the pain of devastation. The faculty and students of the
university contributed and raised funds amounting to more than 20 million to provide every necessity to the people of
that area from School bags, stationary, books etc to cultivating of their lands, supply of wheat, fodder and vegetables
seeds. The wheat seed was supplied under the Outreach programs and was distributed among farmers of the area at
the occasion of Rabi Festival. The festival was well participated by the people of the area, civil society and government
departments, the Minister Agriculture, Punjab was the Chief Guest. There had been a bumper crop of wheat and people
witnessed a surplus of vegetables and fodders.
With this experience of faculty outreach, there is a strong realisation that such programs can bridge up the gaps among
the academia and society, increase relevance in the curricula and research activities and enhance the social
development process.