Endowment Fund Secretariat
The Government of Pakistan and United States of America recalling
the close
ties in scientific and technological cooperation signed an agreement to create a UAF-US
Collaboration
for Strengthening Agriculture Academia and R&D Faculty Development, Technology Transfer
and Product
Commercialization (FDTTPC) Program to reap the mutual benefits of agricultural research
through joint
research projects and exchange of scientists. Under this agreement, University of
Agriculture,
Faisalabad (UAF) has established an Endowment Fund. The income generated through investment
of the
principal funds shall be used for Endowment Fund activities/projects in line with the
Pakistan’s
long term research/development goals of the agriculture sector. The goals focus on food
security,
poverty alleviation and promoting broad based equitable and sustainable agriculture.
Innovation and
technology development has always been the main stay of agriculture because agricultural
progress and
enhancement depends upon the influx of modern technology tools from agricultural scientists
and experts.
Technology development/advancement is a continuous process operative all over the world
providing a
driving force to boost up development progression. Current developments in agriculture at
global level
are the outcome of the same. Endowment Fund Secretariat (EFS) has been set up to provide
financial
support to strengthen agricultural research and academia through Faculty Development,
Technology
Transfer and Product Commercialization. Supporting faculty members for specialized training
in the
technologically developed countries and presenting papers at national/international
seminars/conferences/workshops etc will help to get most out of them in terms of research
and academics.
Innovations/technologies developed at
the research
institutes remain unproductive if not transferred and adopted by the end users. Funding
technology
transfer projects ensures better and efficient transfer of improved technology from the
research
institutes to the stakeholders. It will also accelerate the adoption process of the
innovations/technologies. The ultimate result will be the economy boost in the country.
Commercialization of innovations/products/technologies through patents and registration is
another help
being provided by the Secretariat to the Agricultural Scientists. This will certainly raise
the spirit
of research for the development and advancement of agriculture in Pakistan.