‘Climate change threatens country’s food security’

Food production is unable to keep up with runaway population growth

FAISALABAD:

The Chief Scientist of the Ayub Agricultural Research Institute (AARI), Dr Muhammad Nawaz Khan, said that Pakistan was a major victim of climate change, which adversely affected crop cultivation in the country.

Addressing a meeting at the AARI Horticulture Department on Wednesday, he said that high temperature during the pre-monsoon season coupled with minimal rainfall had aggravated the situation. Reduction in irrigation water was recorded at 42 percent, he said.

Although the government was taking measures to reduce the adverse impacts of climate change, yet the scientists were duty-bound to evolve new strategies and research methods to reduce environmental hazards, he added.

He said that scientists should introduce new varieties of crops, which could give maximum yields even during harsh weather.

He also urged the farmers to adopt the latest technology so that maximum yield could be achieved to cater to domestic and export markets.

Dr Muhammad Nawaz Khan said that the Punjab government had devised a policy for providing certified seeds to growers, so that they could get high yields and play an active role in achieving the goal of self-sufficiency in the food sector.

This strategy would also help in reduction of the import bill of edible items, he added.

Dr Khan added that Pakistan had a population of 30 million at the time of independence, which had now grown to 230 million.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 7^th, 2022.