FAISALABAD:University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) Vice Chancellor (VC) Iqrar Ahmad Khan has urged the agriculture scientists to take measures for uplift of agriculture on war-footing by keeping in view climate changes which is posing serious threats to agriculture sector.
Addressing the opening session of International Conference on “Impacts of Climate Change and its Sustainable Solutions” organized by the Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences UAF here on Tuesday, he said that due to rapidly changing weather conditions and increase in global temperature, the developing countries like Pakistan are facing excessive impacts and experiencing massive floods that wreaked havoc this year.
He said that the grain of wheat remained small due unsuitable weather last year. Consequently, per acre production was severely affected in Pakistan.
Recently he got the opportunity to visit various areas in connection with the wheat enhancement campaign across Punjab, Dr Iqrar said, adding that he was surprised to know that a significant difference was witnessed in crop growth in Hafizabad and Narowal as the farmers completed 80 percent crop harvesting in Hafizabad against only 20% of Narowal.
Dean Faculty of Agriculture Prof. Dr. Muhammad Sarwar Khan said that this international conference would help in finding a way forward to solve environmental pollution and other problems because agri scientists across the globe will join it for coordinated efforts to solve important issues like climate change and global temperature rise.
American scientist Prof Dr. Rattan Lal, through video link, said that sustainable agriculture and fertility of cultivated lands are a real challenge for agriculture scientists. However, he urged the scientists to focus on innovation thereby to increase agri productivity.
French scientist Dr. Cornelia Rumpel talked about important issues such as land analysis and precision in developing countries and said that the effective and proportional use of fertilizers is very important for environment.
Director Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences UAF Prof Dr. Ghulam Murtaza said that Pakistan is most affected by climate changes. Therefore, practical steps on solid basis are imperative to save agriculture sector from ill-impacts of climate changes as well as flood devastation.