CYPRUS DELEGATION ON A 3-DAY VISIT TO PAU TO EXPLORE COLLABORATIVE AREAS

Ludhiana, December 6, 2017: Seeking to forge partnership with Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), a three-member delegation from Cyprus is on a three-day visit to PAU to explore collaborative areas. The delegation comprises Dr Dionysia Fasoula, Agricultural Research Officer, Agricultural Research Institute (ARI), Cyprus; Dr Sozos Sozou, Director, Heart 4 India Organization, Cyprus, and Dr Gladuin P. Singh, Dean of the school, Oversees of Heart 4 India. The delegation interacted with Dr (Mrs) Neelam Grewal, Dean, Postgraduate Studies and Dr Navtej Bains, Director of Research, PAU, today.

Dr Fasoula said, “Our visit aims at promoting collaboration between Cyprus and India, particularly, between Agricultural Research Institute and Punjab Agricultural University.” Both the Universities were established in 1962, she observed, while stating that it was a good time to broaden the horizons. “The Agricultural Research Institute seeks to enter into cooperation with PAU in the areas of plant breeding and genetics, microbiology, agricultural engineering and transfer of technology,” she said. Dr Fasoula further explained, “Plant Breeding declined after Green Revolution but now after the dry period, it is again in trend in Cyprus and holds lot of relevance.” Dr Fasoula highlighted that ARI has been adjudged as the Centre of Excellence in Agriculture and Environment.

Dr Grewal traced the history of Green Revolution in India and the establishment of PAU. She said, “Indian government’s push to agriculture in 1960s paved way for Green Revolution and made country self-sufficient in food grains.” The Punjab Agricultural University started with a high benchmark, she stated, while presenting the key outlines of the research, teaching and extension programmes of PAU. Dr Grewal also told that PAU has been adjudged as the Best State Agricultural University by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) in 2017.

Dr Bains informed about the commercialization of PAU technologies.

The delegation also interacted with Dr O.P. Choudhary, Head, Department of Soil Science; and Dr K.S. Brar and Dr Achla Sharma, experts from the Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, during their visit to Soil Museum and Crops Museum, respectively. They also discussed farm mechanization with Dr Baldev Dogra and Dr Apoorv Prakash, experts from the Department of Farm Machinery and Power Engineering, PAU. Later, delegation was presented a set of PAU publications.