U.S. and Pakistani Officials Inaugurate National Biocontrol Laboratory

U.S. and Pakistani Officials Inaugurate National Biocontrol Laboratory

Islamabad, March 3, 2016:  U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service Deputy Administrator Jocelyn Brown inaugurated the National Biocontrol Laboratory at the National Agricultural Research Center today.  The U.S. government provided technical assistance and equipment for the laboratory, which will conduct research to help farmers prevent pests from destroying their crops. 

“This new laboratory is an excellent example of governments and institutions working together to introduce new technologies and research capacity,” Deputy Administrator Brown said.  “The laboratory’s work will help farmers control harmful insects, reduce the use of chemicals for pest control, and create a safer food supply for Pakistanis.”   

Country Director of the Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International (CABI) Dr. Babar Bajwa and Acting Chairman of the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council Dr. Nadeem Amjad participated in the ribbon-cutting with Deputy Administrator Brown.  

USDA collaborates with international and Pakistani organizations to strengthen Pakistan’s agricultural sector.  During her visit to Pakistan, Deputy Administrator Brown met with representatives from CABI, the United Nations World Food Programme, and the National Agricultural Research Center to discuss key achievements in Pakistani agriculture and ongoing collaborations. 

Deputy Administrator Brown, who served as a Peace Corps volunteer at the Northwest Frontier Province Agriculture University in Peshawar from 1988 to 1990, commented, “It is exciting to return to Pakistan and to see how our countries are working together to resolve challenging agricultural issues that affect our countries and the world.”