Experts at a seminar on Thursday called for applying modern residue management in the agricultural fields for the economic and environment sustainability in the country.

It was arranged by Climate Laboratory of the Department of Agronomy, University of Agriculture Faisalabad and WWF at New Senate Hall. Chairing the session, UAF Vice Chancellor Dr Zafar Iqbal Randhawa said that crop residue management should be adopted while arresting residue burning. He said there is a need to demonstrate the modern agricultural trends in the fields in order to promote latest agricultural tools and practices among the farmers. He directed the experts of the universities to come up with the solid solution to the problems of the farming community and the general public. He said that university would be made model institution in term of addressing environmental, agricultural and other issues. He said in the next few decades, agriculture in Pakistan will move into marginal lands. It will require a major shift in the current management practices and develop new technologies to ameliorate negative effects of extreme climate. He said that climate changes had started playing havoc with lives of the people and in the times to come, it effects will worsen. He said that present government initiative to plant 10 billion trees will help address the issue at the national level. Prof Dr Ashfaq Ahamd Chatha said that developed countries were major contributors in the green house gas emissions but Pakistan is listed as the vulnerable country to the climate changes despite the fact that it is contributing only 0.46 percent in the green house gas emission. He said that the country should get its share as carbon credit by submitting its project in green climate fund of worth 100 billion dollar. He said that rice was being cultivated in the 44 lakh acre of land. And if we shift from puddle rice to direct sowing it will reduce the green house gases emissions. Muhammad Masood from WWF said that they were taking the tangible steps and providing environment friendly policies to the farmers. Dean Faculty of Agriculture Engineering UAF Dr Allah Buksh said that with the passage of time, per capita water availability was decreasing and now the country was being placed in the red zone in term of water availability. Dr Jahanzeb Cheema , and other notable also spoke on the occasion.