HYDERABAD, Dec 25: Sindh Agriculture University Tandojam vice-chancellor Dr Bashir Ahmed Shaikh has announced that under a project, an FM Radio service will be started for the benefit of haris, growers, farm workers and students.

He was speaking at the concluding session of a 6-day training programme organised by the department of animal product technologies for the preservation, preparation, packing and marketing of milk and milk products.

He said that the poverty in the country was on the rise and therefore, the university had launched a programme to train the agriculture manpower to boost the domestic agriculture industry to train women in the preservation of fruits, vegetables and milk products.

He said through this training women workers of agriculture sector will be able to supplement their income.

He said that the department of food technology of the university had been awarded International Standard Organisation certificate.

Each and every individual of each family would have to learn some craft to survive after 25 years, he said.

Speaking on the occasion, the former vice-chancellor of the university and Rector Al-Khair University, Dr A.Q Ansari, said the productivity of the agricultural lands in Sindh was less than other provinces and added that the shortage of sweet underground water had further aggravated the situation.

He urged the university to extend the scope of research to protect water resources to save the agriculture sector.

Dr A.Q Ansari stressed the need for training the farming community to increase their household income.

Dr Akbar Arain on the occasion said that the next batch of trainees will be comprised of female farm workers who would be trained not only in the preservation of milk but in other farm products as well.

AWARD: Professor (Dr) Nabi Bux Siyal of the faculty of Crop Production SAU Tandojam has been declared the best teacher for the year 2004 by Higher Education Commission for his academic and research activities.