Punjab Governor Muhammad Sarwar on Monday said the upcoming era is the arena of competitive struggles and it is necessary to extirpate the inglorious evils of hunger, famine, maladies, deprivation and destitution.

Speaking as a chief guest at the convocation of Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University (PMAS-AAUR) he stressed that there is a need to cast an inquisitive eye over the challenges of future like food security, water scarcity, genetically modified crops, up-scaled and fortified nutrients and value addition.

A total of 1721 students were awarded degrees in undergraduate, Masters, M.Phil and PhD courses, while 36 students who topped the examination in their respective disciplines were given Gold Medals at the 15^th Convocation of PMAS-AAUR.

The Governor appreciated the triumphant initiative of PMAS-AAUR to realize new era of interventions like rainwater harvesting, ostrich farming and
exploitation of Potohar region with multiplication of arid agriculture, horticulture, floriculture, and successful plantation of olive and grapes. He emphasized that rain water harvesting is a Role Model for other universities and this should be followed by other universities to proceed in the right directions of progress.

Being an agrarian economy, Pakistan needs innovative and modern solutions in agriculture not only for the development and prosperity but also for food security of its people, Governor Punjab said. He stressed that University would continue striving hard to develop new technologies by generating practical knowledge and its use,  with special emphasis on water harvesting and conservation which is the lifeline of agriculture sector in such areas.

The Punjab Governor said today is a Gala Day for the young graduates as their long lasting aspirations and whims of their parents are being transformed into pragmatic reality.

He said, "I feel much elevated when I see our progeny profoundly indulged into the quest of natural, social, spatial and genetic sciences to cope up with ever emerging challenges of the future."

Earlier, University Vice Chancellor, Prof. Dr. Rai Niaz Ahmad, in his welcome address informed the gathering that University has converted its research farm at  Chakwal road into a Model Farm with provision for collecting rain water into small reservoirs through which the water saved amount to 45 acres-feet, sufficient to irrigate its entire farm of 250 acres. Besides conventional cropping practices at the farm, the university has cultivated orchards of citrus, olive, date palm, fig, grapes and vegetables under tunnel farming, he added.

He further said that University is near to initiate a fancy Birds-cum-Fish Aviary at campus and model of roof rainwater harvesting has also been established at University Campus . He further informed that all these water ponds are also being used for fish raising. Roof rain harvesting at urban level will not only be reducing street flooding but also would serve as a very good source of groundwater recharge if adopted at large scale, he added.

He said University maintains a state-of-the-art hydroponic vegetable production unit and we have nearly completed a cost effective replica of this facility to be adopted by the common farmers particularly in the Potohar and rainfed belt of the country. The University has established a Food Products Testing Lab in the department of Biochemistry to verify the suitability of various agriculture and food products for human consumption, he said.

He informed that University has added two new faculties of Agricultural Engineering &Technology and Social Sciences and soon opening campuses like Attock Campus, and also planning to initiate other campuses at Bhakkar and Chakwal. University administration has also initiated F.Sc. Pre-Agriculture program at sub-campus, Khushab, he said.

He said that University besides its conventional degree programs have also recently launched a Literacy Centre for un-attended children’s in our neighborhood through donations raised from the University Staff.

Earlier Governor Punjab Muhammad Sarwar inaugurated the University Mineral Water Plant under the name of “Mehr Mineral Water” to provide quality drinking water to the students, faculty and allied personnel of the University besides a commercial venture for resource generation by competing with the open market. The plant is equipped with state of the art testing equipment and qualified manpower.

Three Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) were also signed. Governor Punjab, Muhammad Sawar, Charge de Affairs, Embassy of Japan Takashi Katae, other dignitaries and University Faculty members were also present on the occasion.

PMAS-AAUR and International Center for integrated Mountain Development (ICMOD) for coordination on training, capacity building and field level research in mountain and arid regions of Pakistan. PMAS-AAUR Vice Chancellor, Prof. Dr. Rai Niaz Ahmad and Director General ICMOD  Dr. David James Molden signed MoU on behalf of their respective organizations. On the occasion, Governor Punjab, Muhammad Sawar, Charge de Affairs, Embassy of Japan Takashi Katae, other dignitaries and University Faculty members were also present at the signing ceremony of the MoU.

PMAS-AAUR and Consortium of Research & Development (CRDO) Organizations signed MoU with an aim to establish a working relationship of mutual collaboration between CRDO and PMAS-AAUR to have a long-term collaboration on the relevant topics related to mandates of all the organizations. CRDO Organizations is a comity of national and international research organizations which includes Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF), Agency for Barani Areas Development (ABAD), Barani Agriculture Research Institute (BARI) and International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD). The primary goal of each of these organizations is to undertake research for the better livelihood of people engaged in arid and semi-arid regions in Pakistan.

An MoU was also signed between PMAS-AAUR and Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF), to develop cooperation and collaboration for capacity building of Pakistani scientists, teachers and students through mutual collaborative activities and S&T initiatives in the various fields of Sciences including Agricultural Sciences with particular focus in arid and semi arid regions, which can result in betterment of general economic conditions of the masses.

These MoUs were signed by PMAS-AAUR Vivce Chancellor, Prof. Dr. Rai Niaz Ahmad and Dr. Khalil Ahmad Ibupoto Chairman PSF signed MoU on behalf of their respective organizations.