Wednesday, May 23, 2012

DELEGATION FROM IBADAN VISITS PAU, DISCUSS COLLABORATIVE OPPORTUNITIES

LUDHIANA, MAY 23:-----



A five-member delegation from University of Ibadan, Nigeria, comprising Mr. Orif Mathew O. Abatan, Director, Life and Earth Sciences, Mr. Michael Alastise, Deputy Bursar, and Prof. Ayo Arowojolo, Head of Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, visited Punjab Agricultural University, today to explore possibilities of collaboration in education and faculty exchange with PAU. The delegation also had Dr. Hari Shankar Gaur, Dean and Joint Director (Education), Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi.



During interaction meeting with the PAU Vice Chancellor, Dr. Baldev Singh Dhillon, in which the Registrar, Dr. R.K.Mahey, Additional Director of Research (Food Science, Nutrition & Engineering), Dr. P. K. Khanna and Additional Director of Communication, Dr. Jagtar Singh Dhiman also participated, the delegation leader, Dr. Gaur said that the visit of the Nigerian team to India was to discuss about the ongoing educational, research and technology transfer programmes at PAU. The discussions would help in the establishment of Life and Earth Science Institute of the Pan African University (PAULESI) at the University of Ibadan, he said. Dr. Dhillon, while welcoming the team provided an overview of the programmes operating at PAU to sustain Punjab agriculture and to prepare scientific man power to address the emerging agrarian challenges. He welcomed the proposed collaboration with PAU in the area of education and scientists exchange, for which further modalities can be worked out, he said.



Prof. Abatan appreciated the comprehensive work being done by PAU both for training farmers and producing scientists through need based technology transfer and education programmes. Its technology generation mechanism is also remarkable, he said adding that there is a lot to be learnt from PAU in collaborative mode. \'We are very much impressed with the quality of practices, activities and material within the University\' said Prof. Abatan adding \'we liked the cultural museum, which is exceptional of its kind especially on a University campus.



Dr. Mahey said that PAU has already inked MoUs with various national and international organizations and added that PAU has a strong expertise in the area of agricultural sciences.



Dr. M.S.Gill, Director of Extension Education explained the technology transfer mechanism at PAU and provided the visitors the glimpse of interactive session with farmers and officials of state development departments. Dr. Gill discussed issues regarding sustainability of paddy in Punjab. While visiting the Farmers Service Centre, the visiting team saw how the experts provide service of diagnosing the ailments of crop samples brought by farmers in the plant disease clinic. The working of information kiosk to provide expert knowledge to farmers was also demonstrated.



Dr. Khanna shared that the PAU lays focus on development and popularization of technologies aimed at resource conservation. He highlighted that technologies for auxiliary farming occupations for enhancing farm income, with a focus on small farmers have been developed.



Dr. Dhiman apprised the team about the publications brought out by PAU and how the need-based knowledge is transferred to farmers through electronic and print media. The visiting team was shown around various landmarks on the PAU campus including the Museum of Social History of Punjab, Museum of Water Resources of Northern India, Crop Museum, Research Hall of farm machinery, etc.



Dr. M.S.Sidhu, Head, Department of Economics and Sociology and Dr. S.K.Thind, Incharge Plant Clinic, also interacted with the visitors. Dr. Gaur, thanking PAU said that the visit was a useful exercise to know about Punjab Agriculture, emerging problems and the possible areas of collaboration where Nigerian and PAU scientists could work together.


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