Right steps needed to tackle negative impacts of climate change.
Global warming is causing negative impacts on environment. Adverse impacts of global warming are on glaciers, river flows, underground water recharge systems, agriculture and overall biodiversity in in Pakistan which require some drastic measures to cope this situation.
There is a serious need for farmers to adopt irrigation systems with high efficiency methods and techniques on farm, which also require strategy interventions via concerned departments including Pakistan Agricultural and Research Council.
“We need to take corrective measures and work hard in collaboration with relevant government and non-governmental organisations on fast-track basis for beating out alleviation and adaptation plans to tackle the negative impacts of the climate change on different sectors of economy, particularly irrigated and rain-fed agriculture, which is mainstay of national economy,” it said.
(MoU)already signed between the GCISC and the Italian organization EvK2CNR to facilitate implementation and coordination of research activities in Pakistan and collaborating in carrying out studies on climate change and identification of appropriate adaptation measures. It is reported that the mountain ecosystems are more vulnerable to unfolding climate change impacts, which have expedited the pace of glacial melt, disturbed rainfall pattern and affected the livelihood of millions of those living in mountain areas and down the stream.

 

4 China urged to assist Pakistan agri sector on climate change affects
. Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI) regional chairman on Horticulture Exports Committee, Ahmad Jawad has said that China has done remarkable invention in their agriculture and in little time they become largest exporters of agriculture and horticulture sectors in Asia and Europe.
“In this regard, we request the Chinese authorities to assist Pakistan agriculture sector to overcome the effects of climate change under CPEC” so that our agriculture sector will be in position to sustain accordingly in coming years which is also essential for our GDP growth.
Ahmad Jawad said it is essential to revamp agriculture sector with the modern trends to increase production and to make it profitable. Agriculture, lags far behind from the rest of the world in Pakistan.
The government must promote techniques cotton that will enhance the growth rate up to 4% like drill sowing and quality seed especially for wheat and cotton. Likewise, the modern post-harvest practices must have adapted in country to lessen losing of the grains and fruits up to 20 to 40 percent in the post-harvest losses.
“Amid the situation of climate changes, we have to invest on breeding to develop the climate resilient varieties. “For this purpose, mutual collaboration of government, our research centers and universities work with in time frame for improvements in agri sector.
FPCCI official requested out-of-the-box solutions from the agricultural experts for to the issues facing the sector and farming community. Most of the farming community was having small holding.
“Pakistan was situated at the geographically prominent place from where we can easily export our agricultural produce to Central Asia, Middle East, China and other countries which have large food markets” he said.
“Value chain and marketing system must be developed at par with the international standards to flourish the sector,” he added. To compete the modern world tangible initiatives based research can pave the way. “We are wasting our resources owing to inefficient use of water and other inputs. It is the need of the hour to use resources wisely which would save millions of the rupees,” he said.

Theme of all talks at the inaugural ceremonies was the science diplomacy. Among the remarks, European Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science Carlos Moedas said that he was impressed from his first visit to SESAME to see people actively engaging in it while many people talk and write about science diplomacy.
Science advocate Princess Sumaya bint Hassan of Jordan spoke about how SESAME is playing a positive role in this regard for the requirements of international cooperation and goodwill in the region. Other dignitaries at the ceremony included Director-General of UNESCO Irina Bokova, ICTP Director Fernando Quevedo and President of the SESAME Council Chris Llewellyn Smith.
SESAME is set up on the model of the European Organization for Nuclear Research that is a cooperative venture by scientists and governments of the region. It is developing under the auspices of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).