Experts at a workshop have urged innovations adoption for greater resilience, reduced environmental impacts and higher yields to ensure food security for a growing population.
Traditional crop production methods and outdated farming practices are resulting in lower yields and crop losses, they say.
They suggested embracing modern innovations like gene editing to safeguard the health of people and the environment, and unlock new opportunities for economic growth and food security.
The workshop titled “Tools of Modern Agriculture” was arranged by CropLife Pakistan with the collaborations of Agriculture Journalists Association (AJA) in Murree last week. Siang Hee Tan, Executive Director of CropLife Asia, joined the workshop through video link.
Rashid Ahmad, Executive Director CropLife Pakistan, Muhammad Asim, Biotech Seed Committee Lead, Muhammad Shoaib and progressive farmer Dr Zafar Hayat highlighted the challenges faced by the agriculture sector and possible way forward.
Experts highlighted myths associated with Genetically Modified (GM) Maize and the contrasting realities. The adoption of GM maize in Pakistan is a major issue largely due to myths and regulatory stagnation. Misconceptions persist, fuelled by misinformation and fear, that GM crops are hazardous to health or that they only benefit large farmers.
However, scientific consensus suggests otherwise. GM maize offers enhanced yield, better resistance to pests such as stem borers and fall armyworm, and improved tolerance to drought and salinity—traits especially crucial for Pakistan’s agro-ecological context.
They believe that Pakistan’s biotech policy is critical for the responsible adoption of new crop technologies. They urged transparent, science-based, and timely approval processes for biotech crops. They suggested open dialogue among scientists, farmers, and civil society to dispel misinformation and promote informed decision-making.
Modern approaches favour biopesticides—natural or biologically derived agents—offering safer and more sustainable pest management solutions. The benefits of biopesticides are environmental safety, targeted action, pest resistance management and reduced chemical residues in food and the environment.
Traditional plant breeding is a lengthy and uncertain process. Recent breakthroughs in gene editing empower scientists to make precise, targeted changes to crop genomes. Gene editing enables the development of new crop varieties within years rather than decades, with highly specific trait improvements. Through gene editing, multiple beneficial traits like drought tolerance, pest resistance, and enhanced nutrition can be combined efficiently.
