HYDERABAD: The United Nations has established a provincial office of FAO at the premises of Sindh Agriculture University. The Resident Coordinator of the United Nations in Pakistan and Vice Chancellor inaugurated the office along with the officials of both institutions.
The objectives of this office are to play a significant role in a new partnership to drive positive change in communities and to promote linkages between academia, agricultural institutions, researchers, progressive farmers and the private sector for addressing malnutrition, and climate change impacts.
The spokesperson of SAU informed that the United Nations has established a provincial office of its subsidiary Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) at the premises of Sindh Agricultural University (SAU) Tandojam, which was inaugurated by Julien Harneis, UN Resident Coordinator in Pakistan and Dr. Fateh Marri, Vice Chancellor of Sindh Agriculture University.
While Addressing the event held on this occasion, Vice Chancellor Dr. Fateh Marri said that FAO and other institutions are working to improve the economic situation of the country, eradicate poverty, and food security and eliminate malnutrition in backward areas, while the FAO office will improve the linkages among researchers, students and other organizations including progressive farmers. Dr. Marri said that the provincial office of FAO will be a positive change and an important partner in the development of riverine, arid and urban agriculture in Sindh province.
The United Nations Resident Coordinator in Pakistan Julian Harness said “Addressing the multifaceted challenges that stand in the way of food security in Pakistan can only be done through partnerships. The close collaboration between Sindh Agriculture University and the United Nations will help transform the agri-food system and make it more efficient and sustainable. Julian said that this office will help accelerate progress in the province, where nearly 6 million people still experience high levels of acute food insecurity, one child in four suffers from acute malnutrition, and one in two is too short for their age due to chronic malnutrition and repeated illness.
Ms. Florence Rolle, FAO Representative in Pakistan, said that FAO's focus is to develop long-term collaboration with the country's universities, and we, in Pakistan, work with the community to promote sustainable agricultural practices and food security and to increase production. FAO will promote joint collaboration in the rehabilitation and health of economically vulnerable people through sustainable agricultural development in Sindh province as well.
On this occasion, UNICEF Chief Field Officer Prem Bahadur Chand said that the people of this region are the founders of agriculture and human civilization, which is mainly due to the Indus River, while natural disasters and malnutrition are serious problems in the province.
On this occasion, senior officials of both organizations, James Okoth, head of the FAO provincial office, Director General of Agriculture Research Sindh Noor Muhammad Baloch, Deans Dr. Inayatullah Rajpar, Dr. Aijaz Ali Khooharo, Dr. Syed Ghiyasuddin Shah Rashidi, Dr. Manzoor Ali Abro, Registrar Ghulam Mohiyuddin Qureshi, Dr. Muhammad Ismail Kumbhar, Dr. Aijaz Soomro, Dr. Ziaul Hassan Shah, Dr. Mubeen Lodhi, Dr. Bachal Bhutto, Shah Nasir, Imran Leghari, Zahida Detho, Naz Sahito, Humira Jhanzeb and others were present.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023