Experts Terms Agri-tech Only Solution For Sustainable Agriculture

National and international experts have termed agriculture technology (Agri-Tech) as the only solution for sustainable agriculture and meeting the threats of food security, shrinking land resources, and water scarcity due to increasing population, settlements on green lands, water logging and drought in Sindh

HYDERABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Jun, 2023 ) :National and international experts have termed agriculture technology (Agri-Tech) as the only solution for sustainable agriculture and meeting the threats of food security, shrinking land resources, and water scarcity due to increasing population, settlements on green lands, water logging and drought in Sindh.

The world is worried about food security and malnutrition and engaged to find out solutions by adopting new technologies, they said and added that promotion of agri-tech can bring a sigh of relief to small farmers of Pakistan.

The experts shared these views while addressing a seminar titled "The role of Agri-Tech- unlocking Opportunities and Overcoming Barriers" organized under the aegis of Sindh Agriculture University Tando Jam with the support of European Union, Rural Support Programme Network (RSPN) and Growpak at Dr. AM Sheikh Auditorium hall on Thursday.

The Dean Faculty of Agricultural Engineering Dr. Altaf Ali Siyal while addressing the participants said that despite the rapid increase in population and water shortage issues, we are unable to implement modern technology in farming as well as to achieve satisfactory results of better production on less water and making desert areas cultivable.

He said, "We are still away from developed countries" adding that with the use of satellites, drip irrigation systems, drone technology, geo-information system (GIS) and remote sensing the technologies, the country particularly Sindh could be made self-sufficient in agriculture production.

The Head of Food and Agriculture Organization Sindh James Okoth said that FAO was working closely with provincial institutions, civil society and research institutions on nutrition, food security and climate change in Pakistan particularly in Sindh province. The international community is concerned about hunger and economic crisis in developing countries, he added.

The Senior Vice President Sindh Abadgar board Mehmood Nawaz Shah said since the last 70 years, we have been talking about the implementation of modern technology in agriculture, but till now we are stuck in traditional agricultural practices.

The modern methods in the shape of agri-tech in agriculture have not yet reached the common farmer due to which many problems will be faced in the future, he said.

Senior Vice President Sindh Chamber of Agriculture Nabi Bux Sahito said that many countries including Pakistan have failed to reach the Millennium Development Goals of the United Nations in the past even though these countries are still far from the goals of food security and nutrition and sustainable agriculture. Despite claims, he said the concerned institutions of the country could not fulfill the requirement of commodity seeds of various crops.

The Project Coordinator of the Rural Support Programme Network (RSPN) Muzamil Ahmed said we are working with institutions to remove obstacles in the implementation of sustainable agriculture and technology in the province and to ensure the implementation of modern technology to the farmers in Sindh after Punjab.

The Director, University Advancement and Financial Assistance Dr. Muhammad Ismail Kumbhar said that agri-tech was a change that can revolutionize agricultural practices in the country including technology integration in agriculture, precision agriculture, remote sensing, artificial intelligence and data analytics.

Among others, Pro Vice Chancellor Dr. Jan Muhammad Marri, Director General of Agriculture Research Sindh Noor Muhammad Baloch, Director ARI Liaquat Bhutto, Aslam Memon, Wilson Gillal, Ali Nawaz Chanar, Ghulam Sarwar Panhwer, Rano Mal and Faisal Bilal were also present on the occasion.