Food security: Scientists asked to come up with innovative ideas

Natural disasters, changing climate have made matters worst


Imran Rana April 17, 2015
Natural disasters, changing climate have made matters worst

FAISALABAD: Speakers at the International Centre for Development and Decent Work (ICDD) PhD Workshop 2015 highlighted the aggravating food insecurity caused by natural disasters, land degradation, water shortage and changing climatic conditions.

The workshop was held at the University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) with the core concept of research focusing on food security. Scientists from eight countries participated in the programme funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).

Talking to the participants, German scientist Dr Andreas Burkert from the University of Kassel called for making collaborated efforts on the part of all stakeholders to combat food insecurity.

He urged the scientists to come up with innovative ideas to address the challenges and ensure welfare of the people. He said inter-disciplinary knowledge was the need of the hour to face the emerging issues.

Burkert said ICDD had kicked off the second phase of its programme that would run from 2015 to 2019. It is focusing on five core research topics including decent work along the agricultural value chain, organising the informal economy, rural welfare, rural-urban linkages, livestock and social protection, and rethinking development cooperation.

Dr Christoph Scherrer of the University of Kassel said the rural-urban linkage was vital for development and poverty reduction as the rural population was affected the worst by poverty.

He said ICDD was an international multi-disciplinary network of universities from four continents including Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe.

The organisation has been working on increasing income opportunities for rural and urban population of developing countries.

Professor Dr Asif Ali said in Pakistan agriculture was the backbone of the economy that was directly linked to poverty alleviation.

Dr Izhar Ahmad said without involving social sciences, the target of technological transfer among the farming community could not be met.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 18th, 2015.

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