May 13, 2008	Tuesday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 7, 1429

HYDERABAD, May 12: Former vice chancellor, Sindh Agriculture University Tandojam and Rector, Al-Khair University, Professor Abdul Qadir Ansari, has said that the entire world was in the grip of food crisis and hyperinflation and added that only agriculture sector could protect the world population from hunger and starvation.

He was speaking at the first international conference on “agriculture, food and animal sciences” organised by the Sindh Agriculture University Tandojam, on Monday.

He said in 1988, the contribution of livestock in the agriculture sector was 30 per cent which has now increased to 50 per cent.

He pointed out that 70 per cent of the population of the country lived in the rural areas, therefore, the development and promotion of agriculture sector, was the key to end poverty and hunger.

The incumbent vice chancellor of the university, Dr Basheer Ahmed Shaikh, in his speech said that due to the deterioration of the soil, shortage of water and galloping increase in the population, use of ultra-modern technology in agriculture has become indispensable to save the land.

He said the underground water was turning brackish and its consequences would have to be borne by the coming generations if the agriculture sector was not modernised. He said agriculture university was working on new projects for the development of agriculture to eliminate poverty and hunger.

He said Pakistan was producing huge quantity of quality mango but in absence of proper planning, its export was only 22 per cent. Similarly, he said, Pakistan was a leading country in production of milk but only five per cent milk could be preserved. The farming community, he said, was facing insurmountable problems due to spurious fertilisers, substandard seeds and low prices of agricultural commodities and added that due to lack of knowledge, the farmers could not preserve and store surplus fruits and vegetables.

The Vice Chancellor of Isra University, Dr Asadullah Qazi, in his speech said that the research conducted by the universities was not meant for a particular area but it was for the entire human race. He called upon the scholars to accelerate the pace of their research to eliminate hunger from the globe without which the human race could not survive.

Referring to presence of a large number of national and international agriculture scientists in the conference, he said that it was a proof of the fact that joint and concerted efforts were needed to resolve the global food problem. He suggested that the minimum purchase price of wheat from the growers should be fixed at Rs1,000 per maund while a subsidy of Rs600 per maund should be given to the consumers.

He pointed out that due to the decrease in land resources and sky rocketing prices throughout the world, the agriculture scientists were duty bound to find a viable solution of this huge problem.

Professor Dr Shafi Mohammad Nizamani, Dr Abdullah Arejo and other scholars also spoke on the occasion. A large number of agriculture scientists from within and outside the country are attending the conference.