‘Pakistan among top countries prone to climate change’

MULTAN: A two-day second international conference on ‘'Climate Smart Agriculture’ is being organised at Muhammad Nawaz Sharif University of Agriculture from November 26 in collaboration with Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

Talking to reporters, Muhammad Nawaz Sharif University of Agriculture (MNSUA) vice chancellor Dr Asif Ali said the moot will bring together renowned experts on climate change from USA, Italy, Australia, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands and Pakistan. Dr Asif said world population was expected to reach 9 billion by 2050 and climate change was a reality rather than a myth.

Food production systems were the most vulnerable to climate change and it was a serious threat to food security especially in the developing countries, he maintained. The VC observed that Pakistan was steadily among the top ten most prone countries to climate change and was observing adverse impacts due to climate extremes in recent past. During the past two decades, the country faced the effects of weather extremes, such as devastating floods (2010 and 2014), heat waves, smog and temperature extremes. Erratic and unpredicted weather patterns especially changes in rainfall distribution lead to reduction in agricultural productivity and cause disturbance in the existing farming systems. The condition becomes worst as the country has already been declared as water-scarce.

It has threatened the food security and may produce devastating impacts on livelihoods of poor farmers. Risks due to unprecedented climatic changes and weather extremes increase many folds due to lack of awareness to cope with situations or early warning system to avoid major losses, he maintained.

Dr Asif said the situations were damaging for small land holding farming communities. Existing technologies and approaches seem inadequate to minimise climate change led losses or to develop climate resilient in farming systems to achieve sustainable production and food security.

Research collaboration, sharing of ideas, knowledge transfer and brain-storming sessions would be beneficial in this regard, he proposed.

Dr Asif stated, UN Environment Emission Gap Report 2018 suggested that agro forestry posed considerable potential for reducing green house gas emission and provide relief regarding core sustainable development goals of United Nations. Dr Ghulam Haider, Department of Agronomy MNUSA also informed that scientists and other stakeholder would thoroughly discuss on major areas, including climate smart agriculture innovation, climate smart management of surface and ground water, soil and fertilisers management, global warming impacts and mitigation strategies, smart farming system, modelling for climate change, food diversification for future food security, socio economic prospectus and policy innovations.