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Center of Excellence for Agribusiness at LUAWMS: EU, GIZ & NAVTTC Unite to Empower Balochistan’s Future

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High-Level Workshop Charts Future Roadmap for Balochistan's Productive Sectors & Agribusiness

Quetta, January 31, 2024

A landmark consultative workshop was held in Quetta today to develop a comprehensive roadmap for advancing agribusiness and modernizing Balochistan's productive sectors. Organized by the National Vocational & Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC), Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), and Lasbela University of Agriculture, Water & Marine Sciences (LUAWMS), the event marked a pivotal step toward establishing a Center of Excellence for Agribusiness at LUAWMS, supported by the European Union (EU) under GIZ's Technical and Vocational Education & Training (TVET) Sector Support Programme.

Key Participants

The workshop was attended by Governor Balochistan Sheikh Jafar Khan Mandokhail, Vice Chancellor of Lasbela University of Agriculture Water and Marine Sciences Prof. Dr. Abdul Malik Tareen, Vice Chancellor of University of Gwadar Dr. Abdul Razaq Sabir, Vice Chancellor of BUITEMS Prof. Dr. Khalid, and Professor Dr. Dost Muhammad Baloch, Vice Chancellor of University of Loralai Prof. Dr. Ehsanullah Kakar, Pro Vice Chancellor of LUAWMS Dr. Illahi Bakhsh Marghzani, Director General of National Vocational Technical Training Commission NAVTTC Dr. Hussain Bakhsh Magsi, Director General of Balochistan Technical Education Vocational Training Authority B-TEVTA Mr.Tariq Mengal, Director General Benazir Income Support Program Balochistan Prof. Dr. Jalal Faiz, GIZ Component Manager Tahir Khan, Technical Advisor Shabbir Ahmed Kakar, Balochistan Technical Education officials, civil society and other experts.

The participants included Governor Balochistan Sheikh Jafar Khan Mandokhaill, Vice Chancellor of LUAWMS Prof. Dr. Abdul Malik Tareen, Pro Vice Chancellor Dr. Elahi Bakhsh Marghzani, Dean of Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences Dr. Nasrullah Bangulzai, Professor of the Faculty of Agriculture Dr. Muhammad Rashid, Dr. Abdul Hameed Baloch of the DVM Faculty and others addressed and expressed their views to participant of the event.

The speakers discussed the promotion of agribusiness in Balochistan and adopting modern trends in it to increase production, meet the needs of food and other resources for the growing population, food security, promotion of employment opportunities, etc. in other important consultative sessions and experts from various fields also presented their valuable suggestions.
Addressing the participants, the speakers and experts appreciated the commitment of the European Union to invest in agribusiness in Balochistan while praising the initiatives of the National Vocational Technical Training Commission in the province while highlighting its important role in economic development, job creation and poverty reduction in launching this important project. They emphasized that the promotion of agribusiness in Balochistan can transform the economy of the province and ensure food security. Experts said that the establishment of a Center of Excellence for Agribusiness at Lasbela University of Agriculture, Water and Marine Sciences (LUAWMS) will accelerate efforts to bring about innovation-based reforms in the production sector in the province.
They said that such initiatives will pave the way for sustainable development, improved value chains and overall promotion of the sector, which are still untapped in Balochistan.

Key Focus Areas

  • Agribusiness Modernization: Adopting innovative trends to enhance productivity and food security
  • Economic Revitalization: Creating employment opportunities and poverty reduction
  • Center of Excellence: Establishing LUAWMS as a hub for research and value-chain optimization

Stakeholder Commitments

Governor Mandokhail and academic leaders commended EU's investment in Balochistan's agricultural sector, while NAVTTC and B-TEVTA reaffirmed their commitment to aligning technical education with industry needs. Experts emphasized that the Center of Excellence at LUAWMS will accelerate innovation in production sectors.

"Agribusiness development can transform Balochistan's economy and ensure food security" - Dr. Hussain Baksh Magsi, NAVTTC
Speakers emphasized that the developed roadmap will guide future investments and promote a sustainable, inclusive agribusiness environment. This joint initiative by the EU, GIZ, and NAVTTC aims to highlight agribusiness potential, ensuring economic prosperity and food security for the province.

The workshop concluded with stakeholders pledging collaborative action to implement the roadmap, focusing on sustainable development, improved value chains, and unlocking the province's untapped agricultural potential through EU-GIZ-NAVTTC partnerships.