Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, and Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS), Faridkot, held a pivotal meeting to discuss collaborative teaching, research, and extension projects. The meeting, hosted at PAU’s campus, was presided over by Dr. Satbir Singh Gosal, PAU Vice-Chancellor, alongside university officers and distinguished guests from both institutions.

Dr. S.S. Gosal opened the session by highlighting PAU’s legacy of agricultural innovation. As a leader in conservation agriculture, apiculture, and farm mechanization, PAU has made significant contributions to improving farmers’ livelihoods. Dr. Gosal mapped out key areas for joint research, including studies on nutrient-rich colourful fruits and vegetables, crop biofortification, bio-enzymes, tissue culture, and medicinal plants. Additionally, Dr. Gosal discussed the role of the Skill Development Centre, which works in tandem with the Punjab Agri-Business Incubator, both located at PAU, fostering entrepreneurial ventures and supporting the growth of successful agricultural start-ups.

Dr. Rishi Pal Singh (IAS), Registrar, PAU, proposed a range of partnership opportunities, including academic interactions, faculty exchanges, and joint seminars. PAU’s strategic framework underscores connecting communities, inspiring learning, and nurturing a distinctive research culture, he reiterated, welcoming partnerships with institutions that share these values.

Representing BFUHS, Dr. Parveen Bansal, Director of Research, shared the university's growing prominence in medical education. Stressing the importance of cross-disciplinary and cross-institutional research and innovation, he described the university's approach towards fostering a culture of inquiry and evidence-based practices. He specified possible areas for cooperation, including nursing, physiotherapy, geriatric care, clinical trials, and scientific validation. Regarding aromatic and spice plants, he noted their potential as adjuvants in medical applications. He also suggested establishing course equivalence in fields like microbiology and biochemistry to leverage the combined strengths of both institutions.

PAU’s Director of Research, Dr. Ajmer Singh Dhatt, emphasized the university's advanced cropping system technologies, focusing on trait-specific specialty varieties and speed breeding to secure both food and nutrition. He detailed PAU's efforts to increase zinc content in wheat through varieties like PBW 1 Zn and PBW Zinc 2. He also spotlighted PBW RS1, a resistant starch wheat variety, and PBW1 Chapati, a premium variety for chapati. Additionally, Dr. Dhatt mentioned ongoing research into iron-fortified pearl millet and carotene-rich horticultural crops to enhance dietary diversity and nutrition.

During the session, various department heads from PAU outlined their contributions to agriculture, plant breeding and genetics, horticulture, community science, and food and nutrition. Dr. Kiran Bains, Dean of PAU’s College of Community Science, put forth collaborative efforts entailing domains like nutrition counseling in the context of health and disease, value addition in foods for enhancing their nutritional content and market appeal, evaluation of the nutrient content of foods and diets for a broader understanding of nutritional health. Food analysis and food safety are also crucial, with research on food composition, safety, and consumer awareness, promoting both public health and safety, she added. She also detailed the entrepreneurial training offered to students at PAU.

Describing PAU’s focus areas in Food and Nutrition, Dr. Kiran Grover, Head, Department of Food and Nutrition, enumerated food and nutrition security, assessment of nutritional and health status across age groups, and implementation of community-based interventions to combat nutritional deficiency disorders. Additional priorities involve creating value-added and functional foods from biofortified crops and agro-waste, validating their nutritional benefits, and managing metabolic disorders through targeted diets.

Overall, the meeting set the groundwork for a fruitful synergy between PAU and BFUHS, with a focus on cross-disciplinary research and educational exchanges to drive innovation and address the pressing needs of society.