LAHORE:The University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS) Lahore signed a memorandum of understanding with Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) to promote livestock development in the country along with uplifting the livelihood of the farming community with the dissemination of knowledge about the latest agriculture technologies/techniques and latest farm practices to enhance livestock production & farmers profitability.
Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr. Nasim Ahmad (SI), Dean Faculty of Animal Production & Technology Prof Dr. Saima from UVAS and President/Chief Executive Officer (ZTBL) Tahir Yaqoob Bhatti and Head Planning Research & Technology Division Tariq Mahmood from Zarai Taraqiati Bank signed the MoU in a ceremony held at City Campus while Chairperson Department of Dairy Technology Dr. Saima Inayet, Dr. Muhammad Junaid and UVAS faculty members & administrative officer and officials from (ZTBL) attended the ceremony.
Speaking on the occasion, Prof Dr. Nasim Ahmed said that this cooperation will be beneficial for the livestock farming community not only to increase their livestock production but for enhance their profitability. Tahir Yaqoob Bhatti spoke about the objectives of ZTBL to promote the livestock sector and provide loans, guidance, and advisory services regarding farm practices to boost the profitability of the farming community in the country and the livestock sector playing a vital role in the national GDP.
Under the MoU, both parties will jointly work to conduct field days, seminars & workshops to disseminate the latest developments in livestock for uplifting the livelihood of the farming community. ZTBL and UVAS will develop a partnership for running joint ventures, research activities for the establishment of demonstration plots, and research trials on modern livestock and poultry and ZTBL will provide land for animal fodder research at ZTBL farm at Islamabad to UVAS students.
ZTBL will offer internship opportunities to UVAS students as per available positions in branches/field offices. UVAS will provide information on progressive growers/farmers who participated in modern livestock, dairy value chain, and poultry training sessions with ZTBL, enabling ZTBL to extend credit facilities to these farmers and UVAS will share livestock/dairy related information/data with ZTBL for bank’s publications/printing through leaflets, brochures, booklets & posters. UVAS will also facilitate ZTBL in training and capacity building (physically/virtually) of the bank’s staff in improved livestock/poultry technology and livestock/poultry entrepreneurship as well.
