KARACHI: A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed virtually between National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) and Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi (PMAS-AAUR) for collaboration between the two organizations to promote agriculture entrepreneurship and capacity building, says a Press release.
The objectives of this MoU include to promote cooperation in academic and capacity building of human resource activities for entrepreneurial projects i.e. designing curricula for trainings and economic feasibility of projects and to encourage enterprise development for the trained farmers/ students in modern farming technologies i.e. hydroponics agriculture, tunnel framing, precision agricultural and high efficiency irrigation systems, agricultural machinery workshops and services, orchids establishment, value addition, storage & marketing systems, modern poultry and animals production, honey & by products of bee keeping and fisheries etc and also capacity building for PMAS-AAUR students and NBP officials.
The PMAS-AAUR is among top agriculture universities in Pakistan. The mandate of the university is to produce high quality agricultural scientists and to form an organized scientific infrastructure for teaching and research for the development of dry land regions of the country, thus minimizing the income gap between rich and poor.
NBP and PMAS-AAUR will cooperate to identify and carry out joint marketing activities for awareness of farming community. Such activities may include NBP participation in seminars, exhibitions and farmers programs for awareness of Bank’s financing products.
NBP is Pakistan’s largest public sector commercial bank, providing a diverse range of products and services to the agriculture sector. The Bank is taking initiatives for increasing market penetration and growth in the priority sectors of the economy by developing and strengthening value chains between producers, processors, exporters and financial institutions. The Inclusive Development Group (IDG) within NBP is leading these initiatives and is engaged in focusing on financial inclusion of underserved sectors that have significant business potential.
The expected outcome of the collaboration between NBP and PMAS-UAAR is to contribute towards the growth of agriculture in Pakistan.
