DELEGATES FROM USA AND KENYA VISIT PAU FOR TRILATERAL PARTNERSHIP

LUDHIANA, MAY 29:-----



A four-member delegation from Ohio State University (OSU), USA and Egerton University (EU), Kenya, visited the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) today to identify and discuss the opportunities of trilateral partnership. The delegation members comprised J. Mark Erbaugh, Director, International Programmes in Agriculture, OSU, David O. Hansen, Senior Fellow, Association of Public and Land Grant Universities, USA, Susan Waage, International Agricultural Development Specialist, US Department of Agriculture, Foreign Agricultural Services and Prof. Alexander K. Kahi, Dean, Faculty of Agriculture, EU. They held a meeting with Dr Baldev Singh Dhillon, Vice-Chancellor, PAU, senior officers, deans, directors, heads and faculty of various departments of the university.



Interacting with the delegates, Dr Dhillon said that the joint venture with the international universities for the student-faculty exchange and collaborative research would help in deepening the synergy. He stated that a concrete proposal and modalities need to be worked out for entering into cooperation in the mutually beneficial areas. Apprising the delegation of transfer technology programmes, Dr Dhillon highlighted that the PAU is having excellent linkages with the farming community who utilize the expertise and the technical guidance of the university scientists from time to time. Numerous training programmes are organized by the PAU, on various aspects of agriculture, for the benefit of the farmers. He added that the tie-ups with the foreign varsities would broaden the horizon of the students, faculty and the researchers.



The delegation member, J. M. Erbaugh said that the trilateral partnership aims at strengthening the relations with the PAU in terms of student-faculty exchange with focus on teaching, learning and training.



David O. Hansen said that once the priority areas are identified, then the long-term collaboration can be explored. The basic objective is to identify methodology on how to continue collaboration in the identified areas, he added.



Prof. Kahi explained about the five identified areas for collaborative venture which include value chain analysis (cereals, wheat, food commodities, etc.), curriculum development (new teaching methodology), linkages with private sector (agro-based industries) as well as farmers, agricultural research and training in different subject-matter.



The Director of Extension Education, Dr M.S. Gill, deliberating on agrarian challenges confronting the country, said that the thrust is on enhancing the farm productivity and making best use of soil and water resources through eco-friendly technologies.



The Dean of Postgraduate Studies, Dr Gursharan Singh shed light on the organization set-up and academic programmes of the PAU. Besides, he familiarized the visiting delegation with the on-going international collaborations of the PAU.



Earlier, Dr P.K. Khanna, Technical Advisor to the PAU Vice- Chancellor-cum Additional Director Research (Food Science, Nutrition and Engineering) welcomed the dignitaries and the delegates. Highlighting the PAU's contribution to the national food grain pool, he said that the university is laying special emphasis on resource conservation technologies, agro-forestry, value addition and processing, crop diversification, plant health management, crop residue management and development of farm machinery. During the interaction, Dr H.S. Sehgal, Liaison Officer of PAU and Dr Allah Rang, Head, Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics also briefed the delegates about their respective activities.


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