National Agricultural Research System NARS

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National Agricultural Research System (NARS)
Report to the Committee on Agriculture, March 31,
2009

• Dr. Kauser Abdulla Malik HI,SI,TI
• Distinguished National Professor
• Forman Christian College University
• Lahore

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• Agriculture has undergone tremendous changes over
  the past few decades.
• It has been transformed from a food security
  issue to an engine of economic growth.
• The agricultural research system devised earlier
  has served well to some extent notably through
  provision of high yielding crop varieties.
• However, this research system has outlived its
  utility and needs a conceptual change

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Reorganization of the provincial agriculture
research system is most important to deliver the
desired objectives. Causes of declining
efficiency in agriculture

• Poor and out dated service structure
• Contract system of appointment
• Lack of autonomy and unnecessary bureaucratic
  interference
• Poor monitoring and evaluation system
• Little funding for Agricultural research
• Lack of training and capacity building in
  emerging sciences technologies
• Poor linkages with international and national
  research institutions

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Ministries/Divisions under which Agriculture
Research is being Carried out

• MINFAL
• PARC, PCCC, Soil Survey, Zoological Survey
• PAEC
• NIAB, NIBGE, NIFA, NIA
• MoST
• PCSIR, PCRWR, Leather Research Centre, NIO
• WAPDA
• IWASARI, Mona
• Provincial Agricultural Research Institutions
• HEC
• All Agricultural Universities, CEWR UET
• General Universities

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Agricultural Research at Provincial Level

• Punjab
• Agriculture Department
• Animal Husbadry Department
• Fisheries Department
• Forestry Department
• Irrigation Department
• Balochistan
• Agriculture Department
• Animal Husbandry Department
• Sind and NWFP
• Agriculture Departments

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TECHNICAL MANPOWER WITH MAJOR AGRICULTURAL
RESEARCH INSTITUTES AND UNIVERSITIES
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Technical Manpower with Major Ag-Research
Organizations

• ORGANIZATION Ph.D M.Sc Total
• Agricultural Universities 441 1316 1757
• PARC 137 397 534
• PAEC (4 Agri/Biotech) 82 155 237
• TOTAL 660 1868 2528
• Provivincial ARIs 138 1175 1313

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Key elements for a dynamic NARS

• A pluralistic institutional structure mechanism
  where complementarities are exploited in
  partnership .
• Increased flexibility and institutional autonomy
  for public research institutions combined with
  increased accountability.
• A growing role for private sector RD, especially
  in commercial crops.
• An appropriate policy framework to provide
  incentives to invest in RD, and create the
  opportunity for public-private partnerships. .
• The need to focus public research especially on
• small-scale farmers and marginal areas, where
  poverty is highest and which are bypassed by the
  private sector,
• the longer-term needs for conservation of the
  natural resources and ecosystems, and
• consumer concerns on health issues, such as
  adulteration and livestock and poultry diseases.

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Action Plan for Re-organization of NARS

• Human resource development and capacity building
  in emerging sciences and technologies
• Increase institutional autonomy
• Competitive salaries
• Result oriented research
• Linking research at Ag-Universities with
  mainstream Agriculture.
• Consultations with stakeholders to identify
  research issues of national significance
• Redefining role of PARC creation of Ag Res
  Divison (ARD)
• Performance review of research institutions
• Bring federal provincial research systems at
  par in terms of infrastructure, training
  opportunities and salary package
• Strengthen linkages of provincial federal
  research systems
• Establish provincial Agri. Research Boards with
  representation of all sub-sectors
• Provincial Agri. Research Boards to be
  represented on PARC Board

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Priority Research Areas

• Resource Conservation / Sustainability
• Water-use efficiency Fertilizer Use Efficiency
• Bio-based alternatives to agro-chemicals
• Soil Salinity Mitigation Desertification
• Biodiversity
• Range Lands / Mountain Agriculture
• Food Security / Increase Crop Yields / Climate
  Change Impact
• Heat / Drought / Salinity Tolerant Varieties
  Disease Resistant Varieties
• Hybrid Seeds
• Herbicide tolerant varieties
• Use of Biotechnological tools / New Initiatives
• Diversification of the System / Value Addition
• Horticulture
• Oilseeds Tea
• Agroforestry/ Farm Forestry
• Livestock/Poultry/Fisheries Research
• Breed Improvement (AI, ET for livestock))
• Nutritional Management
• Post harvest Management

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Expenditure on RD in Agriculture
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Mode of Funding of Agricultural Research

• Competitive Research Grants for specific
  problems
• Developmental Projects (PSDP) for dissemination
  of results of research
• Operational Budget (Recurring Budget) to be used
  for conducting routine research should be 40 of
  the annual recurring budget

It is proposed to increase the present funding of
agricultural research initially to two folds from
the present level in order to meet all the
deficiencies if the desired objectives are to be
met.