The National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST) and the Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS) recently held a high-profile online meeting with key representatives to discuss potential collaboration. The discussion aimed to reinforce sustainable food security for the member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
The meeting was attended by Prof. Dr. Zulfiqar Ali, Director of Programs and Projects Department at IOFS, Prof. Dr. Rizwan Riaz, Pro-Rector of Research, Innovation, and Commercialization at NUST, and several esteemed heads and directors from NUST's School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (SEECS).
The session commenced with a presentation by Prof. Dr. Zulfiqar Ali, outlining the IOFS Vision 2031. The strategic plan underscored a strong focus on sustainable food security within OIC member states. Dr. Ali elaborated on the five strategic pillars—food security governance, crisis response, capacity building, industry development, and resource mobilization.
Highlighting IOFS's recent engagements and achievements in 2022, Dr. Ali emphasized the organization's shift from activities to impactful projects. The comprehensive OIC Food Security Ecosystem and its strategic commodities, along with the launch of the Trade57 app, were among the key highlights.
Moreover, Dr. Ali shed light on the potential collaboration benefits for NUST, ranging from technology access to market expansion and strategic partnerships with both national and international entities. He expressed keen interest in exploring agricultural technology innovations and scaling pilot-tested projects in partnership with NUST.
NUST representatives reciprocated the enthusiasm for collaboration. Dr. Rizwan briefed on current collaborations and partnerships within NSTP and ties with the Punjab Government. Prof. Dr. Muhammad Ajmal Khan expressed a keen interest in sharing developed technologies and establishing a Digital Agriculture Center of Excellence at NUST.
Dr. Rafia sought further details on IOFS's Model Support Center's operations, to which Dr. Zulfiqar Ali provided a detailed explanation, expressing interest in visiting NUST and fostering collaboration during his upcoming visit to Pakistan.
Both parties established a clear pathway towards collaboration. NUST committed to sharing its domain-related projects for potential scaling, while IOFS pledged to communicate technological and skills-related requirements for the Model Support Center. Additionally, IOFS promised to facilitate connections with international partners and investors to further augment this collaboration.
The meeting ended with a shared commitment to drive sustainable food security through technological advancements and shared expertise.The meeting highlighted a shared commitment to leverage expertise and resources to advance sustainable food security within OIC member states, setting the stage for a potential collaboration between NUST and IOFS.
