Agricultural scientists on Thursday
urged the government for policy interventions and promoting biotechnology and
genetically-modified crops to meet the challenges of food security. They warned
that the country's population would double in two decades and said that it would
exert an immense pressure on the existing land and water resources.
Addressing a one-day seminar on 'Challenges and opportunities in GMOs for Agriculture', they said that about 58 percent of the country's population was reported to be food insecure. He said that crop-related agriculture was the backbone of food security which was all about making food accessible, affordable and available for all people all the time.
Speakers include President of Farmers Associate of Pakistan Dr Tariq Bucha, former provincial minister for livestock Mumtaz Khan Manhais, UAF's Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan, Dr Kausar Abdullah Malik, Professor Bruce Alberts of te University of California San Francesco. The seminar, in which about 36 agriculturist and journalists from across the country participated, was arranged by the Directorate of Research, Innovation and Commercialisation with the courtsy of Monsanto at the Video Conference Room of the University.
Professor Bruce Alberts emphasised to keep the science healthy as it is a torch that illuminates the world beyond geographical distribution. Advocating GMOs, Dr Bruce said that the technology the only way forward to meet food security challenges in the coming years.
The UAF Vice-Chancellor said that the seminar would pave a way for creating awareness about GMOs and future prospects of agriculture in the country. Describing the media a powerful tool for making awareness about various daunting Highlighting the university's academic programmes, he said that the UAF was going to offer bachelor's programmes in microbiology and biotechnology, adding that PhD in genetics and ecology was also on the cards. Dr Ahmad said that over the past 50 years, UAF had produced around 969 PhDs, adding that half of them had been produced over the past five years.
Vowing to establish more regional centres in the province, he said that UAF scientists had developed a red rot-resistant sugarcane variety, which would be distributed after getting government approval and certification. Former Livestock Minister and progressive farmer Mumtaz Khan Manhais underscored the need for promoting corporate farming comprises collective farm mechanisation, quality and balance input application to reduce the cost of production by promoting participatory approaches of ownership by all the participating farmers.
Urging the agricultural journalists to highlight the significance of $350 billion Halal market, he said that Saudi Arabia imported sacrificial animals from Australia by spending more than Rs 40 billion. Expressing dismay over the burning of wheat straw worth Rs 48 billion every year in the province, he said that it could be made productive by converting it into animal feed and silage.
Addressing a one-day seminar on 'Challenges and opportunities in GMOs for Agriculture', they said that about 58 percent of the country's population was reported to be food insecure. He said that crop-related agriculture was the backbone of food security which was all about making food accessible, affordable and available for all people all the time.
Speakers include President of Farmers Associate of Pakistan Dr Tariq Bucha, former provincial minister for livestock Mumtaz Khan Manhais, UAF's Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan, Dr Kausar Abdullah Malik, Professor Bruce Alberts of te University of California San Francesco. The seminar, in which about 36 agriculturist and journalists from across the country participated, was arranged by the Directorate of Research, Innovation and Commercialisation with the courtsy of Monsanto at the Video Conference Room of the University.
Professor Bruce Alberts emphasised to keep the science healthy as it is a torch that illuminates the world beyond geographical distribution. Advocating GMOs, Dr Bruce said that the technology the only way forward to meet food security challenges in the coming years.
The UAF Vice-Chancellor said that the seminar would pave a way for creating awareness about GMOs and future prospects of agriculture in the country. Describing the media a powerful tool for making awareness about various daunting Highlighting the university's academic programmes, he said that the UAF was going to offer bachelor's programmes in microbiology and biotechnology, adding that PhD in genetics and ecology was also on the cards. Dr Ahmad said that over the past 50 years, UAF had produced around 969 PhDs, adding that half of them had been produced over the past five years.
Vowing to establish more regional centres in the province, he said that UAF scientists had developed a red rot-resistant sugarcane variety, which would be distributed after getting government approval and certification. Former Livestock Minister and progressive farmer Mumtaz Khan Manhais underscored the need for promoting corporate farming comprises collective farm mechanisation, quality and balance input application to reduce the cost of production by promoting participatory approaches of ownership by all the participating farmers.
Urging the agricultural journalists to highlight the significance of $350 billion Halal market, he said that Saudi Arabia imported sacrificial animals from Australia by spending more than Rs 40 billion. Expressing dismay over the burning of wheat straw worth Rs 48 billion every year in the province, he said that it could be made productive by converting it into animal feed and silage.
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