‘Genetically modified crops vital to resolving food security challenges’

FAISALABAD: In the face of food security challenges in the developing world, genetically modified crops are the need of the hour to feed the ever-increasing population and alleviate hunger.

This was stated by University of Agriculture Faisalabad Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Muhammad Sarwar Khan. He was talking to 93th pre-services course for probation officers of Provincial Management Service, Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa delegation led by Abdul Sattar.

Prof Dr Muhammad Sarwar Khan said that in Pakistan, multiple times sprays on crops were provoking an increase in toxic material and Maximum Residue Limit whereas GM crops also limits spray to one and make crop healthy.

He added that developing countries like Pakistan cannot afford the organic crop amid the pressure of dense population and inadequate resources.

Talking about agricultural model in India, he said that in Indian Punjab, Lyallpur Agriculture Model is in place, under which education, research and extension wings were working together under the umbrella of agricultural university.

Whereas in Pakistan, education research and extension wings were bifurcated at the dawn 60s. He said that university was supposed to be knowledge creator and keeping in view, UAF was taking all possible measures to produce tangible research work to address the challenge of modern era.

He said that every year, the university students left for agricultural fields for two weeks under wheat campaign with Extension Department Punjab to get the firsthand information of the farmers problems and disseminate modern agricultural trends among the farmers.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025