Increasing growth of seed companies and lack of

disciplined seed business is of huge concern for revival of

national seed industry. Seed counterfeiting is very common
in the market and government efforts to tackle this cant be
neglected. National seed industry is dreaming for revival of
Seed Act, 1976 with pending approval of Plant Breeders
rights and Seed amendment bill. Informal seed sector

continues to remain major supplier of about 80% seed and

comprises of small farmers which cant be so far neglected
and need strengthening. The total seed market in Pakistan
is estimated around 1.67 million tons during 2013, with
an estimated market value of approximately US$1.6
billion. However there is a lack of a specific national seed
production program for vegetables and flowers resulting
in large imports. Indiscriminations in seed import by
unauthorized traders have reduced local production
of agronomic and horticultural crops by national and
multinational seed companies.
In this era of transition, establishment of Pakistan
Seed Academy (PSA) can play a pivotal role by providing
motivation to formal and informal seed sectors to reduce
gap and strengthening of public-private sector partnership.
Pakistan Seed Academy (PSA) is an initiative of the
University of Agriculture Faisalabad and Federal Seed
Certification & Registration Department, joined by Seed
Association of Pakistan. Further support of Crop Life
Pakistan and Farmers Association of Pakistan is highly

appreciated. Development of data seed bank under the

umbrella of PSA will provide updated information about
the working of local seed companies to improve their
competency at national and international level.
Organization of series training workshops through
platform of PSA will not only capitalize human resource
development and will also improve seed and food security
of both sectors. A workshop on seed certification and
registration was organized in University of Agriculture
Faisalabad on June 07, 2014. In this workshop, key issues
of seed policies and regulations were discussed among
stakeholders. Now we are going to organize a workshop
on Cottonseed production, processing and handling will
be organized in Rahim Yar Khan on November 25, 2014.
Furthermore, another workshop on seed production and
processing of maize will be arranged in Sahiwal region on
November 29, 2014. These seed training workshops are
particularly arranged for those who are strongly associated
with seed business and want to equip with updated
knowledge of seed technology. These workshops will help
in capacity building of people in the field of seed technology
and provide a forum to all the stakeholders to discuss the
ways of strengthening their capabilities. Consequently, the
availability of trained manpower in seed technology will
be ensured. These seed training workshops are organized
with the financial support of The United States Educational
Foundation in Pakistan-Pak US Alumni Network under
project entitled Capacity building of Pakistan seed industry
through establishing Pakistan Seed Academy

Workshop on

November 25, 2014

Venue: Rahim Yar Khan

09:00 AM

Registration

09:30 AM

Recitation from Holy Quran

09:40 AM

Welcome & Overview of Workshop

Ch. Bilal Ahmad, Executive Member, SAP

09.50 AM

Cotton Plant Protection Measures

Dr Naveed, Senior Scientific Officer, CCRI
Multan

10.30 AM
11.10 AM

Cotton Seed Production and Processing

Dr Dilbagh Muhammad, CCRI Multan
GMO Cotton Production and Testing
Dr Ghulam Sarwar, Cotton Botanist,
Vehari Cotton Research Institute

11.50 AM

Tea Break

12.10 PM

Cotton Breeding
Dr Muhammad Iqbal, Chairman, Dept
Plant Breeding & Genetics UCA & ES,
Bahawalpur

12.50 PM

Cotton Seed Physiology

Prof Dr Shahzad Basra, Chairman, Dept of
Crop Physiology, UAF

01.20 PM

Cotton Seed Handling and Storage

Dr Irfan Afzal, Dept of Crop Physiology,
UAF

01.50 PM

Keynote address by Chief Guest

Dr Shakeel Ahmed Khan, DG Federal Seed
Certification and Registration Department

02.10 PM

Concluding Remarks
Mr Sarfraz Ahmad Khalid,
Chairman SAP

02.15 PM

Vote of thanks
Mr Khalid Mahmood
(Director, CRI, Faisalabad)

02.20 PM

Certificates Distribution Ceremony

02:40 PM

Lunch
Organizing Team

Prof. Dr. Iqrar Ahmad Khan (S.I.)

Vice Chancellor, UAF
Prof. Dr. Asif Ali
Director ORIC, UAF
Prof Dr Shahzad M A Basra
(Chairman, Dept Crop Physiology)
Mr Khalid Mahmood
(Director, CRI, Faisalabad)

Ch. Tariq
(Regional Director, FSC & RD)
Ch. Bilal Ahmad
(Executive member SAP)
Rana Salman Mahmood Khan
(Executive member SAP)
Mr Qasim Bhatti
(Executive member SAP)
Dr Irfan Afzal
(Assist. Prof, Dept. Crop Physiology)
Dr Hafeez Ur Rehman
(Lecturer, Dept. Crop Physiology)
Fulbright Alumni-Faisalabad Chapter
Registration Form
Name
Position
Qualification
Address

E mail
Phone/Mobile
Signature with date
Please send the filled in form to:
Dr Irfan Afzal

Ch. Bilal Ahmad

Assistant Professor,
Dept. of Crop Physiology,
Phone: 041-9200161-70/2949,
Cell: 03009658671
Email: iafzal@uaf.edu.pk

Thakar Agro Chemicals & Seed

Corporation
Shahbaz Pur Road, Rahimyar Khan
Phone: 0300 8673767
Email: thakaragro@yahoo.com