Hyderabad: Agricultural scientists and environmental experts have called for urgent measures to address the growing impact of climate change on Sindh’s agriculture including the establishment of a global scientific coordination mechanism, digitization of farming and recognition of soil biodiversity as a form of ‘natural capital. ‘
The experts made the recommendations at a special seminar and lecture titled ‘From Soil to Society’, organized by the Sindh Zarai Science Society (SZSS) at Sindh Agriculture University (SAU), Tandojam, with Vice Chancellor Engr Prof Dr Altaf Ali Siyal in the chair.
According to a statement issued by the SAU spokesperson on Tuesday, speaking at the event, Dr Altaf Siyal said Sindh’s geographical and environmental conditions were rapidly moving towards an arid state. He noted that rainfall during July this year had remained 61 per cent below the historical average, creating serious challenges for agriculture, soil health and water availability.
The Vice Chancellor said soil health and biodiversity should not be viewed solely through the lens of agriculture, but must also be recognized for their wider economic significance and contribution to GDP.
He called for university research, particularly PhD research, to be translated into local and easily understandable languages so that scientific knowledge could reach farmers and help them improve crop productivity and farm incomes.
Dr Siyal also emphasized the need to accelerate the digital transformation of agriculture, saying farmers should be equipped with modern technologies, timely information and digital tools to make better decisions and improve productivity.
In his keynote address, Principal Scientist and Director of the Soil Fertility Institute, Tandojam Dr Hafeezullah Babar said more than 25 percent of the planet’s biodiversity existed beneath the soil surface, yet scientists had so far identified less than one per cent of soil microorganisms.
Highlighting the deteriorating condition of land in Sindh, Dr Babar said approximately 62 per cent of the province’s land was barren or marginally cultivable, while nearly 61 per cent of its soils were affected by salinity, waterlogging and other forms of degradation.
Citing World Bank estimates, he said the degradation of natural resources was costing Sindh the equivalent of 4 to 6 per cent of its GDP annually, with agriculture accounting for around 46 per cent of these losses.
Dr Babar said promoting local production of microbial biofertilizers, biopesticides and organic fertilizers could help establish a strong green economy, create new economic opportunities and reduce reliance on environmentally harmful agricultural inputs.
He called upon the government to launch a National Soil Biodiversity Mission and establish a National Soil Microbiome Atlas to document and protect the province’s and country’s largely unexplored soil biodiversity.
He further proposed the establishment of ‘Living Soil Laboratories’ and urged policymakers to make soil health a core component of national strategies for achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Dean, Faculty of Crop Protection, Dr Abdul Mubeen Lodhi, President of the Sindh Agricultural Science Society Dr Bhai Khan Solangi and Dr Mohammad Yaqoob Koundhar also addressed the seminar and highlighted the importance of scientific research, soil conservation and climate-resilient agriculture.
A large number of faculty members, agricultural researchers, experts and students attended the seminar. The event concluded with participants cutting a cake to commemorate the 79th Independence Anniversary of the country.
