Natural Sciences Linkage Programme

In November 2002, the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST), Government of Pakistan, and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote cooperation in the field of Natural Sciences. Under this MoU, an Endowment Fund titled the Natural Sciences Linkage Programme (NSLP) was established to support research and foster collaboration in natural sciences.

Management of the NSLP Endowment Fund was entrusted to the Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF), Islamabad, utilizing proceeds from the sale of agricultural commodities imported under the PL-480 and 416(b) programs. A total of Rs. 498.910 million was transferred to PSF through the Ministry of Finance, and with the addition of initial profit, the Endowment Fund reached Rs. 500 million in 2007.

PSF utilizes the profit generated from this Endowment Fund to support research projects in agriculture and related sciences, focusing on sustainable agricultural production and enhanced benefits for producers and farmers. All research proposals are processed according to PSF’s established procedures and evaluated based on the technical recommendations of two Pakistani experts and one U.S. expert nominated through USDA.