Agricultural Experts Expresses Concern Over Food Situation In Pakistan

The agricultural experts and scientists have expressed concern over the food situation in country including Sindh and emphasized upon the stack holders from government, academia, industry and institutions to conduct joint research to eliminate hunger and ensure food security

HYDERABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th Oct, 2021 ) :The agricultural experts and scientists have expressed concern over the food situation in country including Sindh and emphasized upon the stack holders from government, academia, industry and institutions to conduct joint research to eliminate hunger and ensure food security.

They stated this while addressing a seminar organized by Sindh Agriculture University Tando Jam in collaboration with Fuji Fertilizers Company (FCC) in connection with World Food Day on Monday.

This year, the theme of World Food day was "Safe food now for a healthy tomorrow".

Addressing to the seminar, the Vice Chancellor Dr. Fateh Marri said in the country including peoples of Sindh do not have enough food to eat and the poverty rate is high, most people go to bed without food.

In the past, he said that experts had predicted that the world would be devastated by hunger and starvation due to the growing population, but agriculture scientist have thwarted such theories through science saying steps must be taken to save the world from food wastage and that agriculture is the only sector that is playing key role in food security and poverty alleviation. "Even today, 17 percent of agricultural produce of the country is wasted and more than 30 percent of food is tossed up on garbage dumps," he said.

The Deputy Project Manager Marketing (FFC) Abdul Jaleel Jarwar said the population of the country is increasing while cultivable land is dwindling therefore so we should take advantage of new technology to do more research on maximizing production from limited land in order to solve the food problems.

The Director University advancement and Financial Assistance Prof. Dr. Muhammad Ismail Kumbhar said the FAO's State of Food Security report states that 820 million people worldwide suffer from malnutrition while 70 percent of the world population lives in poor and resource-poor rural areas, which are constantly plagued by hunger. He said disasters, water shortages, droughts, changes in agricultural land settlements, climate change and Pollution are the cause of food shortages.

Among others, Director, Institute of Food Sciences and Technologies Dr. AIjaz Hussain Soomro, Deans including Dr. Tahseen Fatima Miano, Dr. Syed Ghiasuddin Shah Rashdi, Dr. Jan Mohammad Marri, Dr. Muhammad Ibrahim Keerio, Dr, Allah Wadhayo Gandahi, Dr. Inayatullah Rajpar and Dr Syed Ziaul Hassan Shah were also present on the occasion.

Later, an awareness rally was also held in connection with the World Food Day. Besides, students of the Institute of Food Sciences and Technologies also organized a Posters exhibition and variety of food items stalls, including pickles, sauces, jams, jellies, bakeries, juices, cakes.