NewZNew (NANJING – CHINA) : Acceding to the request of Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal, the President of Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences (JAAS) Zhongyi Yi gave in principle approval to collaborate with Guru Angad Dev Veterinary & Animal Sciences University (GADVASU), Ludhiana in fresh water fisheries besides other fields related to agriculture and allied agricultural activities & animal husbandry.
This assurance was an outcome of the marathon discussions during a meeting with the top brass of JAAS and the delegation of progressive fish farmers led by Mr. Badal held here on Monday.
Meanwhile, the JAAS President Mr. Zhongyi Yi offered fulsome technical support and cooperation to the Chief Minister for sharing their best and the latest practices adopted in the promotion of fresh water fisheries in Punjab.
Taking part in the deliberations, Mr. Badal apprised the JAAS President that Punjab had the highest fish productivity in the country. He also informed that it had huge potential of fresh water fisheries especially in the southern districts of the state which still remained untapped and hoped the collaboration between the GADVASU and JAAS would certainly help the Punjab to herald a blue revolution by further intensifying its efforts to give much needed impetus for state’s ambitious program of agriculture diversification. He pointed out that strenuous efforts were afoot to bring nearly 1000 acre of saline and waterlogged area under fish farming during the current fiscal and the state government was already giving 90% subsidy for the development of inland fisheries through construction of ponds.
Likewise, the Chief Minister also evinced keen interest to forge technical and academic collaboration in varied fields of agriculture and its allied activities. He also sought mutual exchange of technical know-how and expertise between the state’s premier Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana and the different institutes of JAAS in the area of food crops, industrial crops, horticulture, vegetable crops, agricultural resources & environment, plant production, bio-technology, food safety and monitoring technology, animal sciences and veterinary medicine.
It may be recalled that JAAS is the premiere institute of China established in 1932. It has 13 research institutions in Nanjing and 10 subordinate stations in different cities of the province. It has extensive collaborative relationships with domestic and international research institutions or universities, government institutions and businesses.
Expressing gratitude to the JAAS President and his team, Mr. Badal said that he was amazed to see the latest technologies and best practices in the fresh water fisheries, for which China was known world over.
Prominent amongst others who attended the meeting included Prof. Meifang Shen from Jiangsu Institute for Freshwater Fisheries, Vice President of JAAS Prof. Xianjin LIU, Director of Foreign Affairs Office of JAAS Associate Jiaxiang Sun, Director of Institute for Food Crops, Prof. Cailin Wang, Director of Institute for Food Crops Prof.Hongru Gu and Foreign Affairs Office of JAAS, Translator Linlin QI.
