The panelists at a virtual seminar on “World Food Day” held here Tuesday called for developing resilient and holistic food systems to fight hunger in wake of COVID-19 pandemic’ threat to the food system. The seminar was arranged by COMSTECH on World Food Day on the theme of “Grow, nourish and sustain together” in collaboration with UPSIGN and Pakistan Academy of Sciences. The experts stressed the need to take the immediate actions to protect the food system to produce enough food in quantity and quality.
The experts warned that the food system is facing tremendous pressure from climate change causing the depleting natural resources, soil degradation, water shortage and increasing threat from invasive species of pests and diseases. The participants noted that the new varieties have low update of trace elements and essential minerals that needed to be addressed. Prof Ratan Lal, The World Food Prize Winner 2020, was the chief guest speaker.
A panel of distinguished scholars and policy makers who participated in this seminar include Dr Tina Barsby OBE, Director and Chief Executive Officer, National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB), UK, Dr Shahid Mansoor, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), Prof Iqra Ahmed Khan, former VC of University of Agriculture, Faisalabad.
Chairperson of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) network and chair of Agri products committee in the National Assembly of Pakistan, Shandana Gulzar Khan informed that the government of Pakistan was keen to develop a long-term strategy to protect its natural resources, especially soil and water for the coming generations in her closing remarks.—APP
