University of Agriculture Faisalabad Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan presents souvenir to Brig (r) Khan Ahmad from National Management College

Pakistan is facing the serious threats of food insecurity and water scarcity, demanding sustainable and comprehensive agricultural policies to ensure the foods for ever-increasing population and to end the hunger. This was stated by University of Agriculture Faisalabad Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan while talking to a delegation of the 14th Senior Management Course, National Management College. The delegation was led by Brig (r) Khan Ahmad. Replying to a question about the food security, he said that third world countries require put their focus on genetically modified crops rather than organic crops to meet the food demand of the people. The Vice Chancellor said that developed nations like Europe and United States can afford the organic crops but the same lesson can not be learned for the developing countries. He was of the view that university in collaboration with Germany was working on desert agriculture in flora, fauna and livestock sector in Cholistan. In the desert agriculture, there is an opportunity of value addition and the range management as well as mapping the species for explore the potential. He said that average per acre wheat production in Pakistan was around 30 mounds whereas the progressive farmers were getting more than 50 mounds per acre. Talking about water, he was of the view that water scarcity is linked with the food security. He added: “Pakistan is placed in the list of the water scarce countries. The country total water storage capacity is only less than 15 Million Acre Feet (MAF ) whereas we are dumping as many as 105 MAF back to the Sea. If we store the said quantity of the water going back to Sea, the country can face the challenge of water scarcity. He also called for maximum productivity of water with the use of drip and water efficient irrigation by weaning farmers away from traditional and flood irrigation. He said that as many as 1.0 million tub wells are being operated in Punjab, resulting in decline in groundwater table. He said that India is sucking our sub surface water also with high powered pumps and providing heavy subsidy on the electricity for the Indian Punjab. Brig (r) Khan Ahmad urged the agricultural scientists to produce the tangible researches and produce climate-resistant and short term varieties of different crops in order to ward off food insecurity. He also stressed the need to transfer their technologies and researches among the farming community especially relating to water and crop increment issues for minimizing the use of water and end the hunger from the region. He also highlighted the need of capacity building and recommended to enhance the collaboration among research organization and universities to work together in research areas for the cause of increasing agricultural productivity.