TOBA TEK SINGH: Korean Ambassador Suh Sangpyo says the Pak-Korea Nutrition Centre (PKNC), being established at the University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) in collaboration with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (Koica), is a hallmark step to address the issue of malnutrition with a special focus on mothers and children.

He along with UAF VC Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmed Khan, Koica country head Je Ho Yeon, Special Technology Zone Authority Executive Director Amir Salemi Food, UAF Nutrition and Home Sciences Dean Dr Masood Sadiq Butt and other notables per-formed the groundbreaking of the building of the PKNC on Friday.

Mr Sangpyo said there was a deep friendship between Korea and Pakistan and Koica was taking vigorous measures to further strengthen.

He termed the UAF one of the most important universities of Pakistan, especially in the agriculture sector.

He congratulated the UAF over the declaration of the AgriTech Park by the Special Technology Zone Authority that would prove to be a milestone.

The Korean ambassador said it was extremely sad to see the damages Pakistan had suffered due to severe floods caused by climate change. He expressed soli-darity with the suf fering f amilies of Pakistan on behalf of the government and people of Korea.

He underlined the need for concerted efforts to improve maternal and child malnutrition so that a healthy and energetic young generation could contribute to the society in the future.

The UAF VC said the PakKorea Nutrition Centre would be established at the cost of $9.6m, of which $7m would be provided by Koica and $2.6m would be provided by the Public Sector Development Programme of the Planning Commission, Government of Pakistan.

He said under this centre the Agricultural University, Peshawar,BalochistanUniversity of Medical and Health Sciences,Quetta, Faisalabad Medical University, Children Hospital, Faisalabad, Sindh Agricultural University, Tandojam and Karakoram International University, Gilgit-Baltistan would also be partner universities.

Prof Iqrar Ahmed Khan said 50pc of the population of Pakistan was suffering from malnutrition.

He expressed gratitude to the Korean government and Koica authorities for helping the country resolve one of its most importantissues.

Sindd Agriculture University Tandojam VC Prof Dr Fateh Mohammad said malnutrition had become a grave concern in which collaborative ef forts would bring about tangible results.

Prof Dr. Masood Sadiq Buttsaid that the Faculty of Food Nutrition and Home Sciences of the UAF was a pioneer to launch a degree programme in human nutrition and dietetics later replicated across the country.

He said ample employment opportunities were being provided for nutrition graduates, which would help the country in solving nutrition problems.

He said the PKNC comprised chairs, including Nutrition and Public Health, Food Fortification, Food Processing, Product Development and Value Addition, Compositional Analyses, Policy, Advocacy and Outreach.

Amir Saleemi and Director Planning, Development Irfan Abbas and Dr Benish Sarwar Khan also spoke.