Climate Change Vulnerability Index: Pakistan is placed in red zone: UAF vice chancellor

The government and scientists should expedite efforts to avert impact of freaky climate changes especially on agriculture as Pakistan has recently moved up from 29th in 2009-10 to number 16 on the Climate Change Vulnerability Index. The coming years may prove even more excruciating for communities in Asia.
This was stated by University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) Vice Chancellor, Prof. Dr. Iqrar Ahmed Khan while addressing Deans' Committee at Syndicate Room.
He said, "Pakistan is placed in the red zone confronting worst weather conditions. Now we have to work on war footing by taking measures and introducing new varieties of crops compatible to the changing weather. The university is committed to play its pivotal role in this regard."
He said that the weather conditions were hitting Asia worst, as weather events with debilitating intensity and frequency have brought unprecedented miseries for millions in the region.
He said, "In August, rains in Bangladesh effected nearly 200,000 people in Rajshahi. In India, more than 3,000 villages of Orissa state were inundated, affecting two million people. In Bihar, rivers burst their banks after receiving the highest flow since 1975. Similarly, Seoul in South Korea was hit by more than 300mm rainfall in one day, the largest single-day rainfall during July recorded since 1907. He said that previous year, Pakistan witnessed an unusual shift of the monsoon from the easterly to the westerly region. This year, the lower half of Sindh received record-breaking rains."
Talking about the precision agriculture, he stressed the need to adopt the technology in the country and give the awareness to the farmers about the modern methods. Prof. Dr. Iqrar said the precision agriculture was the most popular practice across the globe. The precision agriculture is relying on new technologies like satellite imagery, information technology, and geospatial tools. He stressed the need for adopting latest post harvest method as Pakistan losses 40 percent of its agricultural produces in the process. He said that under a wheat campaign launched by the Punjab Government, the province had produced record wheat in the year. The university is sending around 1400 students under Punjab Government's programme to the field for wheat sowing in order to aware the farmers about latest techniques.
He directed the administration of the university to ensure foolproof arrangements for the National Food Expo commencing on November 14 (tomorrow) in which Punjab Chief Minister Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif and United States Ambassador are likely to participate. He said that under the Punjab Educational Endowment Fund, the university is providing scholarship to 413 needy students. He said that first of its kind, dengue research centre would be set up at the campus with the financial assistance of the provincial government.