Saskatchewan seeks collaboration in agriculture with Punjab

Canadian province Saskatchewan's Premier Brad Wall today evinced keen interest in collaboration with Punjab in agriculture, food technology and skill development.
Technical education, dairying and livestock management are some other areas where Saskatchewan is keen on tie-up with Punjab.
A delegation led by Wall called on Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal here this evening, said an official release.
In his interaction with the Chief Minister, the Premiere said there is a huge scope of bilateral cooperation in these areas as both Punjab and Saskatchewan have demonstrated strength and dominance in agriculture and allied farming due to their vast experience and expertise.

He apprised the Chief Minister that both the states are already working closely in the field of veterinary sciences.
He added that there is tremendous potential for mutual cooperation in other allied sectors of agriculture and animal husbandry.

The Premier also assured Badal of technical help in the arena of food technology, food processing, agri bio-technology, post harvest management, handling and cold chain.
Welcoming the proposal mooted by the Chief Minister for initiating farmer exchange programme between both the provinces, Wall hoped that both states could be immensely benefitted from it.
Saskatchewan would prefer collaboration with Punjab in different fields, he said, adding that existing arrangements of the Punjab Agriculture University (PAU) with Saskatchewan University in developing new varieties of oil-seeds, especially canola, could be extended to cover new areas.

Earlier taking part in deliberations, the Chief Minister, while recalling the historic and strong ties between Punjab and Canada, informed Wall that for all Punjabis "Canada is a second home".
Badal asked the Saskatchewan Premier to carry forward the proposals mutually agreed upon by both of them to their logical end.
He said Punjab and Saskatchewan would soon have strategic alliance in the area of agriculture and agronomy practices to enhance the qualitative production of pulses besides food technology by signing respective MoUs.
He also agreed to enter an agreement with Saskatchewan polytechnic institute with the state technical education department to award degrees and diplomas to students under the dual degree and dual diploma programmes.

The Chief Minister said there is a great scope for collaboration in higher education in areas of engineering, medicine, emerging and green technologies.