Food security: Heat-tolerant maize can help alleviate hunger

VC favours popularisation of maize chapattis to supplement wheat breed.

FAISALABAD:

A heat-tolerant maize crop could help alleviate the hunger and achieve food security in less-developed countries, food experts said at a conference on Saturday.

The University of Agriculture, Faisalabad’s Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics had arranged the conference.

UAF Vice Chancellor Iqrar Ahmad Khan said the country had achieved tremendous progress in maize production. He said people had been using the maize flour until the Green Revolution because it was more economical than wheat flour. He said popularising chapattis made from maize flour could help overcome food shortages.

“Heat-tolerant and insect-resistant crops can help boost the production. Improved farming practices will also reduce the production cost.”

The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) country representative Muhammad Imtiaz said Pakistan could do well by focusing on maize production.

He said maize production in Pakistan had recorded a 15 per cent increase in 2012-13. He said United States was the major maize supplier and China was its second-largest consumer.

Faculty of Agriculture Dean Muhammad Arshad said maize could prove a key player for food security. “In the wake of ongoing climate changes, the short-duration crops will help the country meet its food demand,” he said. He said the demand for cereals had been increasing; maize could become the most demanded cereal in the developing countries by 2020. Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics chairman Abdus Salam said changing weather patterns necessitated production of high quality seed.

“It will help produce a good crop even in harsh weather conditions.”  He said research was needed for the development of maize hybrids. Office of Research, Innovation and Commercialisation director Asif Ali said maize was a profitable crop. “If the country enhances maize production, a maize-based industry will grow and create employment opportunities,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 4^th, 2014.