Partnership of International Center

for Development and Decent Work,

University of Kassel, Germany with

the University of Agriculture

Faisalabad, Pakistan (2009-2017)

Kassel, March 2018

List of Contents

1.1 Historical Background .................................................................................................. 3

1.2 Faculties and Institutes ................................................................................................ 3

1.2.1 Faculty of Agriculture ......................................................................................................... 3

1.2.2 Faculty of Agricultural Engineering & Technology ......................................................... 3

1.2.3 Faculty of Veterinary Science ........................................................................................... 4

1.2.4 Faculty of Social Sciences ................................................................................................ 4

1.2.5 Faculty of Animal Husbandry ............................................................................................ 4

1.2.6 Faculty of Sciences ...................................................................................................... 4

1.2.7 Faculty of Food, Nutrition and Home Sciences ........................................................ 4

1.2.8 Institute of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development .................................... 4

1.2.9 Centre of Agricultural Biochemistry and Biotechnology (CABB) ........................... 4

2. ICDD and UAF Partnership ............................................................................................ 6

2.1 The DAAD exceed Program ................................................................................................. 6

2.2 Study Programs ........................................................................................................... 7

2.2.1 PhD program ....................................................................................................................... 7

2.2.2 Master Program .................................................................................................................. 8

2.3 Ela Bhatt Professorship and Guest Lectures ................................................................ 8

3. Research ......................................................................................................................10

3.1.1 Research Projects ............................................................................................................ 10

Global Agricultural Production Systems (G.A.P.S.) ...................................................................... 12

3.1.2 Research Clusters ............................................................................................................ 13

3.2 Publications ................................................................................................................15

3.3 Cooperation with other Partner Universities in the ICDD Network ...............................17

4. Conferences and Workshops ........................................................................................18

Special ICDD conference, 2014 ....................................................................................... 19

International Conference on Migration and Desertification, 2011 ............................... 20

ICDD Annual Thematic Conference 2011 ...................................................................... 20

International Workshop on 'Solar and Bio-Energy System' in January 2011 ............ 21

Prof. Dr. Asif Ali .........................................................................................................22

Prof. Dr. Muhammad Ashfaq ......................................................................................22

Prof. Dr. Iqrar Ahmad Khan........................................................................................22

Prof. Dr. Muhammad Younas .....................................................................................22

Prof. Dr. Muhammad Iqbal Zafar ................................................................................23

1. About UAF

1.1 Historical Background1

The University of Agriculture, Faisalabad (UAF) was established in 1961 after the upgrading

status of the Punjab Agricultural College and Research Institute, founded in 1906. UAF also

has sub-campuses at Dera Ghazi Khan, Toba Tek Singh and Burewala.

The university offers programs leading to Bachelor of Science Agricultural Engineering, Doctor

of veterinary medicine, Bachelor of Science (Hons.), Master of Philosophy, and PhD. degrees

in agriculture and allied fields. HEC (Higher Education Commission of Pakistan) ranks the UAF

as the best university in the agriculture or veterinary field.

UAF comprises of seven faculties, eleven institutes, three centers and thirty departments.

1.2 Faculties and Institutes2

The university is organized into faculties of Agriculture, Agricultural Engineering and

Technology, Food Engineering, Social sciences, Animal Husbandry, Veterinary Science and

Sciences. A community college is also located on the main campus in Faisalabad. The College

of Veterinary Sciences at Lahore was affiliated and is now a distinct entity known as the

University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore (UVAS).

1.2.1 Faculty of Agriculture

This faculty is the largest of the academic units, conducts research on all aspects of crop

production; teaching is undertaken at the undergraduate and graduate levels by its

departments: Agronomy, Genetics, Center of Agricultural Biochemistry and Biotechnology,

Plant Pathology, Agricultural Entomology, Horticulture, Soil Science, Forestry, Range

Management, and Wildlife and Crop Physiology.

1.2.2 Faculty of Agricultural Engineering & Technology

The Faculty of Agricultural Engineering & Technology was established in 1961 when the

Punjab Agriculture College, Lyallpur was given the status of University of Agriculture, Lyallpur.

The main objective of the Faculty was to train manpower to cater the growing needs of

mechanized farming in the province of Punjab, Pakistan. This faculty is one of the pioneer

faculties of its nature in whole Pakistan.

1 According to UAF website: http://uaf.edu.pk/downloads/vision2030.pdf 2 For more information about the faculties and institutes, check: http://www.uaf.edu.pk/ -> Academics

1.2.3 Faculty of Veterinary Science

This faculty has been playing a significant role in flourishing the livestock and poultry

production in the country since 1962. The diagnostic laboratory and drugs analytical facilities

have been created to implement artificial insemination technologies.

1.2.4 Faculty of Social Sciences

The three institutes in the faculty are the Institute of Economics and Resource Management,

the Institute of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development and the Institute of Business

Management Sciences. The faculty offers coursework in Agricultural Economics and Rural

Sociology at the graduate and postgraduate levels.

1.2.5 Faculty of Animal Husbandry

The faculty includes the Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, the Department of

Livestock Management, the Department of Animal Nutrition and the Department of Poultry

Science. It provides research facilities concerning livestock, poultry and their products to

departments in the University and it provides advisory services to livestock and poultry farmers.

1.2.6 Faculty of Sciences

Since 1974, the Faculty of Sciences with its nine departments offers M.sc and M.Phil, degrees

in Biochemistry, Botany, Chemistry, Computer Science, Physics, Statistics, Zoology and

fisheries. Furthermore, it also offers PhD degree programs. Currently it is the second biggest

faculty of the University.

1.2.7 Faculty of Food, Nutrition and Home Sciences

A recently founded faculty hosting the National Institute of Food Science and Technology and

the Institute of Home Sciences. Asides these two institutes, there is also the Department Food

Engineering that links the Faculty of Agricultural Engineering & Technology to the Faculty of

Food, Nutrition and Home sciences.

1.2.8 Institute of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development

The institute deals with disciplines like Agricultural Extension, Agricultural Education,

Agricultural Information (Mass Communication), Rural Sociology, Population Science, Gender

Studies, and Rural Development.

1.2.9 Centre of Agricultural Biochemistry and Biotechnology (CABB)

The development of the Centre of Agricultural Biochemistry and Biotechnology (CABB) at the

University of Agriculture Faisalabad was approved for funding by the University Grants

Commission in 1995. The establishment mandates the integration of modern knowledge and

techniques of biotechnology in the conventional teaching and research systems to meet the

future needs in the agricultural research and teaching.

2. ICDD and UAF Partnership

The ICDD and UAF have been successfully working for six years. The ICDD and UAF

partnership involves various types of activities including study programs, exchange of students

and faculties, research, conferences, workshops among others.

2.1 The DAAD exceed Program

ICDD has been conducting different research projects with UAF within the DAAD exceed

(Higher Education Excellence in Development Cooperation) program.

The program aims at supporting German Higher Education Institutions (HEI) together with their

partners in developing countries. Support is given to those institutions that contribute to the

realization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and other goals of development

cooperation policy in an innovative manner. The aim is to strengthen the HEIs in the domains

of education, research and consultancy. The major concerns of the program are:

bringing together working units in the HEIs with a direct linkage to the SDGs

expanding education and research on issues of relevance to development cooperation

policy in German and partner country HEIs

increasing the visibility of activities related to the SDGs in the general public in Germany

and DCs

constructing Competence Centers for development cooperation by developing

excellent research that can serve as a scientific "lighthouse”, is internationally attractive

and competitive

strengthening north-south as well as south-south cooperation in higher education and

research

expanding policy analysis and consultancy on issues in development cooperation

in DCs and Germany

By these activities, researchers and institutes are encouraged to continue and expand their

commitment in development cooperation. The competence centers are meant to become think

tanks for development co-operation that develop approaches for the solution of global

challenges and transfer them to policy makers, donors and practitioners.

2.2 Study Programs

2.2.1 PhD program

The ICDD's objective is to generate and transfer knowledge on how to create and improve

work and income opportunities in rural and urban regions of developing countries in light of

globalization, climate change and urbanization. PhD projects are rooted in either the natural or

social sciences and focus primarily on actor- and problem-oriented research on sustainable

human-environmental relationships and decent livelihoods. Currently (2018), about 25 doctoral

candidates within the graduate school are pursuing PhDs at the seven ICDD partner

universities.

Currently there are six completed and two ongoing PhD projects from the UAF in the following

topics:

Muhammad Asif Raza (2010-2013): Documentation of Ethno-botanicals in Cholistan

(Pakistan) and evaluation for their Anthelmintic activity. Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Eva

Schlecht and Prof. Dr. Muhammad Younas.

Sami Ul-Allah (2010-2013): Fodder quality and its impact on animal value chains in

Faisalabad, Pakistan. Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Michael Wachendorf and Prof. Dr. Asif Ali.

Sabah Saleem (2011-2014): International return migrants in rural areas of Pakistan.

Supervisors: Dr. Izhar Ahmad Khan and Prof. Dr. Béatrice Knerr.

Saadia Hanif (2011-2014): A Study on the Comparative Sustainability of Dairy

Production Systems to Act as Full Time Employment Opportunity for Farming

Community in Pakistan. Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Eva Schlecht and Dr. Muhammad

Younas.

Ghayoor Fatima (2012-2015): Diversity and Nutritional Variation in Pakistani Dates:

Implications for Sustainable Value Chain and Decent Living Perspectives of Rural

Households. Supervisors: Prof. Andreas Bürkert and Dr. Iqrar A. Khan.

Muhammad Salman Haider (2014-2017): The role of diversity and nutritional status

of apricot (Prunus arminiaca L.) from Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan of Pakistan:

Implication for effective value chain & descent living of small farmers. Supervisors: Dr.

Iqrar Khan and Andreas Bürkert.

Saima Nazir (2016-present): Current Status of Bt Cotton Cultivation, Future

Challenges, Perspectives and its Linkages with Sustainable Livelihood of Female

Cotton Pickers in Southern Punjab Pakistan. Supervisor: Dr. Izhar Ahmad Khan.

Arslan Nawaz (2017-present): Biodiversity and use of sea buckthorn in the

Karakorum mountains of northern Pakistan. Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Asif Ali Khan and

Prof. Dr. Andreas Bürkert.

2.2.2 Master Program

An agreement was signed for initiating a double degree program in Sustainable

International Agriculture with the University of Kassel and the University of Göttingen

in 2012.

MA Scholarships were given to selected highly qualified students at UAF; these

scholarships were all matched by HEC funded scholarships by the side of Pakistan.

2.3 Ela Bhatt Professorship and Guest Lectures

Ela-Bhatt Visiting Professors

Dr. Anjum Munir: Honoured as an ICDD Ela Bhatt Visiting professor from 01.06. to

30.09.2018 at the Witzenhausen campus. He will be teaching the block course “Solar energy

in Agriculture” during his stay with a main task of evaluating the newly developed solar

technologies.

Dr. Muhammad Younas: Honoured as an ICDD Ela

Bhatt Visiting Professor from 01.10.2010 to 31.03.2011

at the Witzenhausen campus. His research and

teaching at the ICDD during 01.10.2010-31.03.2011

and published an ICDD Working paper to the topic of

General aspects of Pakistan’s urban milk market.

Guest Lecturers

Dr. Mehdi Mubashir: ICDD visiting scientist from 15.06. to 31.07.2016

Prof. Dr. Saira Akhtar: ICDD visiting scientist from 02.07. to 10.07. 2014

3. Research

3.1 Joint Research Projects

The ICDD network worked along three main research clusters in the first phase of cooperation

(2009-2014), responding to (1) Sustainable Value Creation for Decent Work, (2) Instruments

for Promoting Decent Work, and (3) Strategies for Empowerment for Decent Work.

In the second phase (2015-2019), there is a shift towards an enhanced cooperation between

agricultural and social disciplines/sciences within the network, implementing 5 new research

lines in the agenda:(1) Decent work along agricultural value chains, (2) Organizing the informal

economy, (3) Extractivism and rural welfare, (4) Rural-urban linkages: transformation

processes, livelihoods, and social protection, (5) Rethinking development cooperation.

3.1.1 Research Projects

Women’s Empowerment for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods: Voices from Ghana,

Pakistan and Kenya (2015 - )

Project leaders: Prof. Dr. Akua Britwum (UCC), Prof. Dr. Saira Ahktar (UAF), Susan Njogu

(EGU)

The first phase was a pilot study, outlining the conditions of rural women in Ghana and Pakistan.

The second, set out to examine in both countries, existing rural agricultural interventions. The

findings highlighted that while some existing interventions were gender sensitive others were

gender blind. Thus, interventions in both countries irrespective of their orientation and

assumptions were not addressing the actual livelihood needs of rural women. The studies in

Ghana and Pakistan noticed that women were desirous to make inputs into the interventions

and wanted them to incorporate their concerns. The new phase (2017) aims to address this

concern, involving a third country, Kenya to expand further the bases for comparison of tenure

systems and rural women’s livelihoods.

For more details and findings of these research projects, please see:

http://www.uni-kassel.de/einrichtungen/international-center-for-development-and-decent-

work-icdd/research/research-2015-2019/gender-equality-and-womens-rights.html

Supply Chain Governance: A decent work approach to optimize the mango value

chain system - within Global Agricultural Production Systems Project (2015 - )

Project leaders: Prof. Dr. Joseph Matofari (EGU), Dr. Mubashir Mehdi (UAF), Prof. Dr.

Christoph Scherrer (University of Kassel)

The aim of the project is to identify the social and political issues that inhibit to improve the

performance of horticultural enterprises along the mango value chain and devise a framework

that can guide the commercial operators and policy makers to create environment for decent

work.

Gender Equality and Women’s Rights in Rural Livelihoods in Ghana and Pakistan

(2015- )

Project leaders: Prof. Saira Akhtar (UAF) and Prof. Dr. Akua Britwum (UCC)

This project addresses the factors that determine the success of interventions designed to

promote women’s rights to productive resources in rural livelihoods. The political economic

contexts of rural livelihoods are highly gendered with implications for work distribution and

access to and control over productive resources. Such gendered differentiations stray into

household relations with research pointing to discriminatory access to household resource

allocation. Studies note that owning land and other landed properties in rural communities

provide access to additional productive resources like finances, water and grazing privileges.

Others state that having their own plots of land strengthens women’s voices in decisions about

the use of household resources. In subsistence economies such as Ghana and Pakistan

defective land tenure systems under pressure from several interests like the state, foreign

investors and local economic elite have redefined lineage land acquisition systems and in the

process compromised women’s tenure security. It is necessary to outline emerging gender

orders within varying intensities of patriarchal control.

Expected Contribution to the Decent Work Agenda

A critical appraisal of conditions determining innovation success is important for understanding

how gendered production relations embedded in rural livelihoods can be transformed.

More information: https://www.uni-kassel.de/einrichtungen/international-center-for-

development-and-decent-work-icdd/research/research-2015-2019/2-gender-equality-and-

womens-rights-in-rural-livelihoods-in-ghana-and-pakistan.html

Urbanization of agricultural land, fodder and dairy production, and resource use

efficiency at the rural-urban interface in Pakistan and India (2015-)

Project Leaders: Dr. Izhar Ahmad Khan (UAF), Dr. Muhamed Tariq (UAF), Dr. Sami Ul-Allah

(UAF), Dr. Mouleshri Vyas (TISS), Dr. Sunil Nautiyal (ISEC)

Efficiency and the adequacy of infrastructure for domestic trade, specifically the flow of goods,

labor, services and cash, are the backbone of a mutually beneficial and successful relationship

between urban and rural areas. Development of economies such as in Pakistan involves the

transformation of agro-based economies into more urban, industrial and service-based

economies (Hussain and Ahmed, 2010; Panhwar, 2014). This transformation process implies

that the flow of resources, goods, services, knowledge and information between urban and

rural areas intensifies. With regard to fodder and dairy production, it is hypothesized that

cropping intensity and diversity are lower at advanced urbanization stages, and that crop

productivity and water use efficiency are higher than in rural agriculture. At the same time land

use changes break existing feedbacks in matter flows, and transform agricultural livelihoods.

The project aims at identifying such breakage points in contrasting settings and at deriving

suggestions on how circular flows could be (re-)established to create long-term sustainability.

In analyzing urban expansion, the study aims to find out the ways in which changing farm and

non-farm income generating activities could be used in the best interest of the peri-urban

dwellers. Further, research based advocacy with the stakeholders and policy makers will help

to develop a more effective peri-urban policy for the selected cities.

Expected Contribution to the Decent Work Agenda

It is expected that through a better understanding of the multifaceted factors behind land use

changes and its impacts on the livelihood of the peri-urban dwellers, the research findings will

help policy makers in their efforts of more effective planning to optimize trade-offs between

constraints and opportunities arising from rural-urban linkages.

More information: https://www.uni-kassel.de/einrichtungen/international-center-for-

development-and-decent-work-icdd/research/research-2015-2019/5-urbanization-of-

agricultural-land-fodder-and-dairy-production-and-resource-use-efficiency-at-the-rural-urban-

interface-in-pakistan-and-india.html

Global Agricultural Production Systems (G.A.P.S.)

The concept of production systems (value chains) has gained tract in many fields. The social

dimension, however, has received so far little attention. Most of the research has focused on

the issue of economic upgrading. As important economic upgrading is, it does not guarantee

better living and working conditions for many working in the production system. Better value

capture might not be distributed to small holders, farm workers or workers in distribution and

processing.

This research area extends the partnership between the University of Kassel (including DITSL,

Witzenhausen), the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (Mumbai and Guwahati), the University

of Agriculture Faisalabad, the Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Egerton University, and

University of Cape Coast. UAF is participating in the following sub-project:

Income generation using solar based food processing technologies for rural

community (2015-)

Project Leader: Prof. Dr. Anjum Munir (UAF)

This project is aimed at the research on innovative solar-based technologies for food

processing and value addition of agricultural produce to improve the living standards of small

entrepreneurs and rural community by improving their income generation. The agro-climatic

conditions of Pakistan and Kenya ranging from tropical to temperate allow the growing of 40

different kinds of vegetables and 21 types of fruits. At present, the area under fruits and

vegetables is 4,3% of the total cropped area, with the total production of 10.992 million tons in

Pakistan. The major factors limiting an increase in area and production need high investment

with low returns to the growers. Due to lack of processing facilities, the farmers have to sell

their products at very low prices. A significant amount of these products is spoiled due to lack

of farm gate processing facilities. Furthermore, Pakistan is the sixth greatest milk producing

country in the world, but due to lack of awareness and appropriate technologies in rural areas,

thousands tons of fresh milk are spoiled. Besides, pasteurized milk is not available to the rural

community, causing adverse effects to their health. The promotion of small-scale agro-based

industries for value addition and income generation using innovative solar technologies can

become a multiplier in rural development.

This project is focused on the development and commercialization of solar food processing

technologies viz. solar assisted milk pasteurizer, solar based mobile milk chiller, solar dryer for

dehydration of fruits (apple slices, apricot, mango, palm dates etc.), vegetables and other

perishable products, solar roaster for roasting of coffee, ground nuts, pine nuts etc. and solar

cooker for community kitchen applications.

More information: https://www.uni-kassel.de/einrichtungen/international-center-for-

development-and-decent-work-icdd/research/research-2015-2019/1-global-agricultural-

production-systems-gaps.html

3.1.2 Research Clusters

Within the framework of the Research Cluster “Instruments for promoting Decent Work” (2011–

2014), UAF developed together with other centers of the ICDD network a series of research

projects related to the Research Cluster No.1 “The Sustainable Value Creation for Decent

Work”:

Coupling plant and animal production systems for poverty alleviation in

Cholistan, Pakistan and Rajasthan, India (2010-)

Project leaders: Prof. Dr. Andreas Bürkert (Uni Kassel), Prof. Dr. Eva Schlecht (Uni Kassel),

Prof. Dr. Michael Wachendorf (Uni Kassel), Prof. Dr. Iqrar Ahmad Khan (UAF)

Aiming at increasing the income opportunities of the rural poor, this project sets up the basis

for future PhD research projects to (i) understand land use patterns by both groups in a

representative (yet to define) sample area of the two states, (ii) define options for enhanced

synergies between both land use systems (targeted use of animal manure in irrigated

gardening), and (iii) foster value addition to primary agricultural products (the drying of dates

and other fruits, the direct marketing of certified vegetables, the conversion of milk into

cheese).

Expected Contribution to the Decent Work Agenda

This project aims at fostering value addition to primary agricultural products (drying of dates

and other fruits, the direct marketing of certified vegetables, directly converting the milk into

cheese) in order to enhance the income level of poor rural households and their welfare.

More information in: https://www.uni-kassel.de/einrichtungen/international-center-for-

development-and-decent-work-icdd/research/research-2009-2014/sustainable-value-

creation-for-dw/coupling-plant-and-animal-production-systems-for-poverty-alleviation-in-

cholistan-pakistan-and-rajasthan-india.html

Value Addition to Agricultural Products Using Solar Energy (2011-)

Project Leaders: Prof. Dr. Anjum Munir (UAF), Prof. Dr. Oliver Hensel (Uni Kassel)

The research project will be the initial step to the newly created “solar food processing network”

where interested parties (like members of ISES - The International Solar Energy Society and

Solare Brücke) from all over the world met at a summer school in Kassel in 2010. Former

research projects from the University of Kassel Agri-Engineering Department showed that this

new approach easily generates small-scale enterprises. Experienced researchers from

Pakistan and Kenya will further develop this idea and adapt the technology to the specific

needs of their home countries.

Expected Contribution to the Decent Work Agenda

Rural development through solar energy can easily be achieved by harvesting solar energy

and utilizing this source in developing small scale agro-based industry in the vicinity of villages.

More information: https://www.uni-kassel.de/einrichtungen/international-center-for-

development-and-decent-work-icdd/research/research-2009-2014/sustainable-value-

creation-for-dw/adding-value-to-agricultural-products-using-solar-energy.html

Biodiversity and Variation in Nutritional Properties of Pakistani Dates:

Implications for Sustainable Value Chain and Decent Living (2012-)

Project Leaders: Prof. Dr. Andreas Bürkert (Uni Kassel), Prof. Dr. Iqrar Ahmad Khan (UAF)

Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) is one of the major fruit crops of Pakistan along with mango

and citrus. While Pakistan is one of the biggest sellers of dates in the international market, little

is known about the effects of date productions for the livelihoods of producers and the

associated actors along the value chain. It is well known that dates are a good source of

energy, vitamins, and elements like phosphorus, iron potassium, as well as a significant

amount of calcium.

However, little is known about the varietal differences in these properties. Also, the socio-

economic conditions of date palm areas are often poor with high incidence of food insecurity

and low Human Development Index. People living in marginal rural areas where date palm

cultivation is contributing significantly to livelihoods have limited income opportunities. The

present research proposal will be implemented in the most marginal and resource-scarce

areas of Pakistan (Turbat, Makran and Panjgur (Balochistan), Mazzafargarh, D.G. Khan,

Bahawalpur and Jhang district of Punjab, Khairpur, Mirpur Khas and Sukkur in Sindh and D.I.

Khan in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province). The project aims at a systematic analysis of (i)

the role of dates in local livelihoods (ii) the functioning and role of market-oriented value chains,

and (iii) the varietal effects of date palms on the nutritional properties of dates. This research

is based on first-hand data obtained through on-going PhD and MSc research by University of

Agriculture Faisalabad students currently working on date palm diversity and usage patterns

with short-term ICDD MSc scholarships.

Expected Contribution to the Decent Work Agenda

The role of Agricultural Extension Services will also be analyzed with respect to its potential to

contribute to the enhancement of benefits in the date value chain to small and medium

households involved in producing and marketing date palm products.

More information: https://www.uni-kassel.de/einrichtungen/international-center-for-

development-and-decent-work-icdd/research/research-2009-2014/sustainable-value-

creation-for-dw/biodiversity-and-variation-in-nutritional-properties-of-pakistani-dates-

implications-for-sustainable-value-chain-and-decent-living.html

3.2 Publications

Development of hybrid solar distillation system for essential oil extraction. Arslan Afzal, Anjum

Munir, Abdul Ghafoor and Jorge L. Alvarado. Renewable Energy, 113, 22-29. Published 2017

Income generation of rural community by using solar distillation systems. Arslan Afzal, Anjum

Munir, Abdul Ghafoor and Jorge L. Alvarado. Conference paper. International Conference on

Renewable Energies and Power Quality (ICREPQ’17), Malaga (Spain), 4th to 6th April, 2017

A Comparative Study of Traditional versus best Practices in the Mango Value Chain. Mubashir

Mehdi, Burhan Ahmad, Asif Yaseen, Adnan Adeel and Nosheen Sayyed. Published

01.09.2016

Sustainable Energy Solutions for community Development in Pakistan. Amjad, W.; Bakhsh,

A.; Ghafoor, A.; Hensel, O. & Munir, A. Abstract Book. Published: 11.08.2016

Improving Value Chain Through decent Work Approach: A case of Mango Production System

in Pakistan. Mubashir Mehdi, Burhan Ahmad. Published 30.06.2016

Improving the Livelihood of Small Holder Mango growers: A Decent Work Approach along the

Mango Value Chain System in Pakistan. Mubashir Mehdi and Burhan Ahmad. Published

19.02.2016

Impact of International Migration on Women (Gender) Empowerment and Livelihood of the

Families Left Behind: A Case Study in District Toba Tek Signh: A Dissertation Submitted To

University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree

of Master in Rural Sociology

Impact of International Migration on Social Protection of Migrants Families Left Behind in

Agrarian Communities of District Toba Tek Signh, Punjab, Pakistan

Role of International Migration in Agricultural Development and Farmer’s Livelihoods: A Case

Study of an Agrarian Community.

Socio-Economic Conditions of Female Domestic Workers before and after Migration in

Faisalabad City. By Saima Nazir B.A (P.U) A Dissertation Submitted In Partial Fulfillment of

Requirement For The Degree of Master In Rural Sociology Department of Rural Sociology

Faculty of Agriculture. Economics and Rural Sociology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad,

Pakistan

A Study of Date Palm Market Chain And Its Role In Food Security And Livelihoods Of Farmers

In The South Punjab By Salman Ata, A Thesis Submitted In Partial Fulfillment of The

Requirements For the Degree of Master of Science (Hons.) In Agri. Extension Department of

Agri. Extension, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, 2011

Potential of Bioslurry and Compost At Different Levels of Inorganic Nitrogen To Improve

Growth And Yield of Okra (Hibiscus Esculetus L.) by Muhammad Shahabz, A Thesis Submitted

In Partial Fulfillment Of The Requirement For The Degree Of Master of Science (Hons.) In Soil

and Environmental Sciences Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences Faculty of

Agriculture University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan, 2011

Root Anatomical Characteristics of Some Date Palm (Phoenix Dactylifera L.) Cultivars Of

Diverse Origin By Ghayoor Fatima, A Thesis Submitted In Partial Fulfillment Of Requirements

For The Degree Of Master of Science (Hons.) In Horticulture Institute of Horticultural Sciences

(Agriculture) University Of Agriculture, Faisalabad, 2011

Ergonomics And Occupational Health In Sugar Industry Of Pakistan By Engr. Muhammad

Adeel Ashraf, A Thesis Submitted In Partial Fulfillment Of The Requirement For The Degree

Of Master Of Science (Hons) In Agri- Engineering Department Of Farm Machinery And Power,

Faculty Of Agricultural Engineering And Technology University Of Agriculture Faisalabad,

2011

Factors Hampering Date Palm Production in the Punjab: A Case Study of D.G. Khan District

by Salman Ata, Babar Shahbaz, Munir Ahmad and Izhar Ahmed Khan

Economic Losses Due to Delayed Conception in Dairy Animals of Small Farmers in District

Gujranwala by Sadaf Ali, B.Sc. (Hons.) Agricultural and Resource Economics Chemical

Composition and Digestion Kinetics of Oat Silage and Urea Treated Wheat Straw as Influenced

by Exogenous Fibrolytic Enzymes by Abdur Rehman M.Sc (Hons)

MA Scholarships were given to selected highly qualified students at UAF; these scholarships

were all matched by HEC funded scholarships by the side of Pakistan.

3.3 Cooperation with other Partner Universities in the ICDD Network

In the framework of one of the ICDD’s agenda research lines, UAF extends its cooperation to

the whole network, within the research project on “Decent work along agricultural value

chains”/Global Agricultural Production Systems.

This research area is embedded in the network’s second phase (2015-2019). Social and

political obstacles to innovations are studied, together with the value chain in the production

process with emphasis in small farmers/producers.

The cooperation and exchange is realized between the University of Kassel (including DTSL,

Witzenhausen), the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (Mumbai and Guwahati), the University

of Agriculture Faisalabad, the Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Egerton University, and

University of Cape Coast.

4. Conferences and Workshops Within the framework of ICDD and UAF partnership different thematic conferences,

workshops, seminars have been organised.

International Workshop, 2017

On the 1-2 December 2017, the UAF in collaboration with the ICDD, the Punjab Agricultural

Research Board, the Institute of Business Administration and the Sucker and Endowment

Fund secretariat (EFS) held an International symposium “Global Value Chain and Decent

Work Deficit in Agriculture: Present Challenges and Future Prospects”. The workshop aimed

at disseminating knowledge on academic and indigenous sustainable energy solutions while

sharing success stories and lessons learned.

It focused on the following thematic areas: Renewable energy use in post-harvest processing

of fruits, smart grids for electrical energy, energy efficient air conditioning, increasing efficiency,

promotion of solar energy in rural areas and waste to clean energy.

Gender Equality and Women’s Rights in rural Livelihoods Project (Second

phase), 2016

On the 7th – 10th November 2016 marked the second year of the project. The theme for the

workshop was “Gender Equality and Women’s Rights in Rural Livelihoods: Evidence from

selected Asian and African Countries”. The workshop served to share current findings from

ongoing research in participating countries, identify common grounds that would become the

foundation for future research while also engaging policy makers with the research results. A

International workshop 2017, ICDD Files

proposal for the third phase of the project was finalised with a proposed project title “Women’s

Empowerment for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods: Voices from Pakistan, Ghana and Kenya”.

ICDD PhD Workshop, 2015

On the 15th - 22nd April 2015, the annual ICDD PhD workshop was held in cooperation with the

UAF. The topic of the conference was “Core Concepts of ICDD Research”. The ICDD PhD

workshop 2015 was entitled ‘Core Concepts of ICDD Research’. Its main objective was to

inform doctoral fellows with key conceptual tools and current related debates relevant to the

Decent Work Agenda, and their application to concrete issues in the Pakistan.

Apart from the thematic focus of PhD workshop, three other usual contents were also included:

the presentation and in-depth discussion of the individual PhD projects; sessions on method

training and skill development; and a day for an excursion to visit several farms and factory

sites.

Special ICDD conference, 2014

On 9-12 January, 2014, the special ICDD Conference on the topic “The Linkages, value chains

and development along the rural-urban interface” was hosted by UAF.

All ICDD related faculties and participating Campuses are requested to collaborate with their

colleagues and students to prepare a one page abstract under the overall theme. The

Gender Equality and Women’s Rights in rural Livelihoods Project (Second phase) 2016, ICDD Files

conferences are divided in 3 sessions according to the main themes: 1. Rural to Urban

migration; 2. Primary Prod, Value Chain and Marketing; 3. Women Empowerment and

Urbanization.

More than 40 thematic papers and abstracts were submitted and presented during the

conference.

International Conference on Migration and Desertification, 2011

An international conference on “Migration and Desertification: Desertification as a cause of

rural out-migration and its implications” was organized from January 3-5, 2011. Zhao Xi from

Kassel and Dr. Abdillahi Aboud from Kenya carried out fieldwork on date palm, return migrants

and domestic workers. Ms. Ursula Saarabek, Director DAAD Islamabad also participated in

the conference. The national participants and speakers included faculty members and students

from different universities from all over Pakistan.

ICDD Annual Thematic Conference 2011

The Annual Thematic Conference (ATC) is an international conference organized within the

framework of the International Center for Development and Decent Work (ICDD) to discuss

and formulate strategies for building capacity and supporting research on topics related to

decent work and development.

With the cooperation of six international universities and public and civil society partners, the

conference takes place at a different partner university every year. ATC 2011 took place at

UAF, Pakistan 18.10.2011-22.10.2011 on the topic of Urban, Peri-Urban Agriculture:

Empowerment and Value Chain Management.

ICDD Annual Thematic Conference 2011, ICDD files.

International Workshop on 'Solar and Bio-Energy System' in January 2011

On November 24, 2011 an international workshop on “Solar and Bio Energy systems” was

organized under an ICDD funded project “Value Addition to Agricultural Products using Solar

Energy”. Mr. Wolfgang Scheffler and Mrs. Heike Hoedt participated and presented their work

at this conference. Also different solar exerts presented their work on value addition in the field

of agriculture. The Secretary Energy Department, Government of Punjab participated in the

workshop as Chief Guest.

5. Professors and Scholars

Prof. Dr. Asif Ali

University of Agriculture, UAF

Prof. Dr. Asif Ali, has multifaceted professional experiences and currently serving as Professor

in Plant Breeding and Genetics, Director Office of Research, Innovation & Commercialization

(ORIC) and Business Incubation Centre (BIC) at the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad

(UAF). He has published over 100 research and review papers in peer reviewed journals. As

Director External Linkages from 2009-2011, he aggressively persuaded the internationalization

and networking agenda of the UAF. As Director ORIC and BIC, he focused on developing

liaison of the faculty with funding agencies and industry. His motivation and facilitation skills

resulted in four times increase in national and international research funding.

Prof. Dr. Muhammad Ashfaq

University of Agriculture, UAF

Dr. Ashfaq has been actively involved in numerous national as well as international research

projects. He is also serving as supervisor for ICDD, Kassel University, Germany. Apart from

these activities, Dr. Ashfaq has published more than 55 research papers in different well

reputed national and international research journals. He has also published three research

reports and two books on the economies of water management and WTO. During his entire

research career, Dr. Ashfaq has made wonderful efforts, with limited available resources, to

contribute significantly in surging the economic aspects of agricultural productivity issues,

poverty and water resource management.

Prof. Dr. Iqrar Ahmad Khan

Vice Chancellor´s Office, UAF.

Supervised 84 MSc and PhD. students from 6 countries, and established a Center of

Agricultural Biochemistry and Biotechnology and secured numerous research and

development projects. He was instrumental in developing international/regional mango

research program to combat the sudden death of mango. In a 2007 paper on the causal

organism of mango death, his team illustrated new information, which must count as a

discovery. MINFAL has notified Khan as National Mango Coordinator. Prof. Khan was

decorated with 'Sitara-e-Imtiaz' by President of Pakistan for his services in the field of

Agricultural sciences on occasion of Pakistan Day 23 March 2011.

Prof. Dr. Muhammad Younas

University of Agriculture, UAF

Prof. Dr. Younas was given the responsibility as Chairman of the Department of Livestock

Management from June 2006 until he was appointed as Dean of the Faculty on Sep 7, 2007.

He worked with BRSP, Balochistan to develop their training curriculum for Field

trainers/workers (1992-93). He helped P&D Department to develop their Conservation

Strategy of the Punjab and delivered sectorial paper on Livestock (1996). He worked to work

on Academic Staff Association (ASA) as Joint Secretary 1982 and 1983, as Secretary 1995

and the President ASA’2003, motivated the community, and rendered them useful services in

their academic and research activities and community welfare programs.

Prof. Dr. Muhammad Iqbal Zafar

Dean Faculty of Agricultural Economics and rural Sociology, University of Agriculture, UAF

Prof. Dr. Zafar has 124 research articles published in journals of national and international

repute and twelve review articles appeared in different national newspapers about social

problems prevailing in the society. A book on Cultural Dynamics, Social Change and

Modernization is also in his credit. Professor Zafar is presently executing a research project

on gender development funded by Pakistan Agricultural Research Council. Dr. Zafar is also a

pioneer in supervising doctoral level research on HIV/AIDS in Pakistan. Professor Dr. Zafar as

a member of Academic Council, Senate, Technical Advisory Committee, Standing Investment

Committee for Endowment fund, Bio-safety Committee and many learned societies actively

engaged for promotion of teaching, research, administrative and social welfare activities.

PhD Fellow: Muhammad Salman Haider

Dr. Muhammad Asif Raza

Dr. Sami Ul-Allah

Dr. Sabah Saleem

Dr. Saadia Hanif

Dr. Ghayoor Fatima

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