International Seminar on "Transgenic Crops: A key to food Security"

Developing countries like Pakistan can fight challenge to feed ever-increasing population with adoption and promotion of Transgenic Crops that will not only end the hunger from globe but also improve lives of the people. This was stated by speakers arranged by at an international seminar on Transgenic Crops: A key to food security organized by Office of Research Innovation and commercialization, University of Agriculture Faisalabad on Friday at Video Conference Room. The session was presided over by UAF Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan while Dr Simon Chan; Dr Naveed Monsanto, Dr Habib Ullah, Dr Claud M. Fauquet, Dr Nadeem Austin, and other notables also spoke on the occasion. It was held in connection with six-day Spring Festival arranged by the UAF. They said that the soaring global prices were threading to push more people back below poverty line and it was need of the hour to promote the technology especially in the developing country in a bid to ensure availability of food to every person. They said that the developed countries can afford to grow organic crops but the same model cannot be applied in the developing countries as its population was facing hunger. They also stressed the need to persuade the farming community to adopt the modern practices so that our country can excel in the field of agriculture contributing 22 percent to Gross Domestic Product of the country. They said that the low agriculture productivity is attributed to many biotic factors like decreased availability of water, new and resistant strains of disease causing pathogens and insects. The festival brought rural culture and knowledge based events. The agricultural exhibition, flower show, fancy bird show, horse and cattle show, tent pegging, milk competition, cow and buffaloes beauty contest and cultural shows as well as international seminars and conferences remained continued on fifth day.