Pakistan : agricultural research

The project, which will be implemented by Pakistan"s Agricultural Research Council (ARC), will upgrade provincial agricultural research institutes and colleges and establish a National Research Center (NRC) as an integral part of ARC. A key element of the project will be the development of multidisciplinary commodity and research problem area committees which will meet at least annually to review progress, identify impediments to research, and plan future research. Through this mechanism, and through annual workshops, research will be focused on priority areas and individual institutions and provinces will realize that they can meet their research objectives more effectively through cooperative efforts. ARC will also identify qualified scientists to serve as national research program leaders; develop a capacity to procure needed equipment; and provide practical and degree training for research scientists within Pakistan and in the United States and third countries. Moreover, foreign technical assistance will be supplied to research programs, linkages between research and extension will be facilitated by including an outreach capability in each major program, the research capabilities of educational institutions will be more fully utilized, and personnel management at ARC will be upgraded. Research which is unable to be taken on by the provincial institutes will be conducted by the project-created NRC. NRC will: conduct research in soil management, farming systems, pest management, sorghums and millets, dairy management, and forage legumes and grasses; develop a plant introduction center; operate a professional communications center, including a library, a reprint service, and technical journal editing; provide short-term practical training for scientists, extensionists, and government officers; and conduct socioeconomic research on cropping patterns, input use, produce marketing, and agricultural policy. In addition, NRC will serve as a resource base for provincial scientists and as an official conduit whereby Pakistani scientists can benefit from interaction with colleagues in other countries.