Biotechnological varieties: need for enhancing cotton production stressed

Although Bt cotton is being cultivated on 2.4 million hectares area in Pakistan with the introduction of 29 biotechnological enriched varieties of the said crop but the country is still lagging behind 25 years from the world in the field of biotechnology.
This was stated by scientists addressing a seminar on 'Implementation of the Bio-safety Protocols' at the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad. The seminar was arranged by the Institutional Bio-safety Committee, CABB, UAF with UAF, Vice Chancellor Dr Iqrar Ahmed Khan in the chair. Dr Kausar Abdullah Malik was chief guest on the occasion.
The scientists said that the population of the world is increasing rapidly. To cope with the food challenge, it is need of the hour to promote biotechnology and biosafety. They said that pest-free crops are being produced across the globe but this country is lacking in the field. They urged the government to take tangible steps for awareness of the people about the intellectual property rights (IPR) by introducing short courses on the topic and launching a media campaign in this regard.
The vice chancellor stressed the need to adopt modern techniques and to take measures to decrease cost of production of crops by increasing the per-acre crop production. He said that the world is divided in the ecology and economics. He said that both play a vital role in the development of the country. He said that it is the duty of the scientists to introduce improved varieties of crops to feed the population of the world that is standing at seven billion of the people. He said the population of the world has risen by 200 million. He said that the knowledge of the world is adding with each passing day. He called for catching up the knowledge by leaving no stone unturned to face the world. He said that with the establishment of bio monitoring cell, UAF was to promote Bt cotton in the cotton growing areas.
Dr Iftikhar Ahmed Khan said that the transgene technology had been producing fruitful result on the horizon of the agriculture in the country. He said the country is blessed with four seasons and with the use of biotechnology it can earn millions of rupees.