The opening ceremonies of KOPIA Pakistan Centre and Aeroponic Potato Seed Production System were held recently at the National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC) in Islamabad, Pakistan.
The newly confirmed cooperation between KOPIA Pakistan Center and Aeroponic Potato Seed Production System will help in achieving higher productivity, reducing post-harvest losses, initiating farm level processing, human resource development, and creating immense job opportunities.
On the occasion, Dr. Muhammad Azeem Khan, Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) chairman, praised the strong commitment of Korean counterparts with the agreement.
“(…) Korea is technologically much developed in the agriculture sector and through this agreement we have got opportunities to share that knowledge and technologies. It is just a new beginning to tap the potential of crops, livestock and agriculture machinery.”
Dr. Chu Gyong-rae, Director of KOPIA Pakistan Centre, added that his home country has introduced the aeroponic technology for seed production of different crops, especially potato. He said that the Korean-Pakistani cooperation will expand in the field of machinery and vegetable seed production.
Through utilizing aeroponic technology, Pakistan will not only substitute the import of potato seed for cultivation but will also be able to produce high quality potato seed locally, said also one of the Pakistani experts.
Pakistan is importing around USD120m potato seed for cultivation of 15,000 acres every year.
KOPIA Centre’s cooperative projects and activities includes technology development projects related to agriculture and livestock which aim to increase incomes of smallholder farm households.
