Pakistan: Experts warn of deepening food insecurity crisis, urge focus on quality seeds

Lahore [Pakistan], May 1 : Agricultural experts have raised concerns about the escalating food insecurity crises, emphasising the urgent need for high-quality seeds in farming practices, The Express Tribune reported.
They noted the critical importance of ensuring access to resilient seeds capable of withstanding the challenges posed by climate change and other agricultural factors. This, they suggested, could be achieved through robust public-private partnerships aimed at benefiting ordinary farmers.
Speaking at the third Pakistan Seed Congress, themed "Seed Invocation for Transforming Agriculture," held at the Centre for Advanced Studies in Agriculture and Food Security (UAF), experts inaugurated the Seed Exhibition, The Express Tribune reported.
UAF Vice Chancellor, Iqrar Ahmad Khan, drew attention to the country's annual import of agricultural products worth USD 10 billion. He highlighted the success of hybrid seed technology in boosting corn production and advocated for its wider adoption across various crops to address stagnation.
Khan noted that while wheat production per acre currently stands at 30 maunds, progressive farmers have been achieving yields of 60 to 70 maunds by adopting innovative practices such as the introduction of soybeans, climate-resistant wheat, high-yielding sugarcane, cotton, and other commodities by UAF.
Asif Ali, Chairperson of the National Seed Development and Regulatory Authority, proposed increasing wheat production from 30 to 50 maunds per acre. This, he suggested, could potentially reduce the current 9 million hectares of wheat cultivation to 6.5 million hectares, allowing for diversification into other crops.
He emphasised the significance of forging public-private partnerships in seed production and distribution, citing India's achievements in cotton production due to the widespread use of hybrid seeds.
UAF Pro Vice Chancellor and Dean of Agriculture, Muhammad Sarwar Khan, stressed the pivotal role of quality seeds in ensuring high agricultural production. He announced the establishment of the Seed Centre at the university, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, which would include model seed research and outreach stations in Balochistan and Upper Punjab.
Mohammad Azim Khan, Director General of the Federal Seed Certification and Registration Department, highlighted the necessity for collaborative efforts to catch up in hybrid seed technology, while Irfan Afzal emphasised the importance of academia-industry linkages and agricultural innovation.
Fiona Hay, a senior researcher from Denmark's Aarhus University, provided scientific insights into seed moisture content, emphasising the significance of knowledge-based economies and public-private models for agricultural prosperity, The Express Tribune reported.