ISLAMABAD: The Directorate of Public Relations and Protocol (PR&P) of Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) arranged an exposure visit of electronic and print media group aiming to acquaint the media about agri-research and development activities being carried at National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC), Islamabad to disseminate further these R&D activities/new innovations /technologies and information among stakeholders through media.

NARC director general Dr Ghulam Muhammad Ali welcomed the media persons and briefed in detail about the research activities being carried out at the NARC at its different institute. Media was also told about the PARC institutes/centres working across the country for the promotion and development of agriculture sector in Pakistan. Research activities about livestock, poultry and fisheries were also updated to the media persons. Afterwards, all electronic & print media persons were taken to the field areas of NARC, said a press release issued here on Friday.

The National Institute for Geonomics & Biotechnology (NIGAB) which is as a leading biotechnology institute both at national as well as international level and Tissue Culture Labs were also deeply visited by the media persons. National Genebank of Pakistan at Plant Genetic Resources Institute was also visited which has two types of conservation facilities for the seed of orthodox crop species at low temperature and relative humidity.

The media visited NARC Agricultural and Biological Engineering Institute (ABEI), where a number of farm machines were displayed where they were briefed about farm machinery including olive extraction machine, wheat straw chopper, and sisal decorticator with practical demonstration. Ispaghol Processing Plant was also seen by the Media which is a very much useful technology for Ispaghol Processing especially in Southern Punjab and Sindh Areas where Ispaghol is cultivated widely. Portable Solar Irrigation System developed by ABEI, NARC was also shown and introduced to the visitors. Briefing about solar system, Media was told that it was developed and demonstrated as pilot project at Chakri.—PR