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Business Recorder
19-07-2025
- Science
- Business Recorder
Climate-resilient agriculture: SAU, FAO agree to expand collaboration
HYDERABAD: In a concerted effort to strengthen climate-resilient agriculture and sustainable water use in Sindh, the Sindh Agriculture University (SAU), Tandojam, and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations have agreed to deepen their cooperation on joint initiatives. The agreement was reached during a high-level review meeting held at FAO's provincial office in Tandojam on Friday. The meeting was chaired by Prof. Dr. Altaf Ali Siyal, Vice Chancellor of SAU, and Ms. Florence Rolle, FAO Representative in Pakistan. Also present were Dr. Julius Muchemi, Head of FAO Sindh Office; Ms. Emelda Berejena, Project Manager of the Green Climate Fund (GCF)-supported initiative; Ms. Amna Bajwa, Programme Head; along with other technical experts. Participants reviewed the progress of several collaborative projects between SAU and FAO, particularly in climate-vulnerable districts such as Umerkot, Sanghar, and Badin. These joint efforts aim to promote adaptive farming practices through improved irrigation efficiency, short-duration crops, intercropping, seed development, and agricultural marketing. Highlighting the university's contributions, Dr. Altaf Ali Siyal noted that SAU experts are working directly with farmers to pilot innovative techniques and conduct field-based training. He added that the university's FLUX Tower is actively recording meteorological data to support crop planning and early warning systems. Additionally, SAU's communication team is conducting outreach and awareness programs, while university graduates working with FAO are contributing to food security initiatives in the field. Speaking on the occasion, Ms. Florence Rolle emphasized that with the support of the Green Climate Fund, FAO has initiated the installation of Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) across Sindh to strengthen data-driven agricultural decision-making. 'Our goal is to ensure that these tools enhance local planning and pave the way for sustainable development,' she stated. Dr. Julius Muchemi shared that nine AWS units are currently being installed in Sanghar, Badin, and Umerkot. These stations will continuously monitor key agro-meteorological parameters, including temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction, precipitation, soil temperature, and electrical conductivity. Ms. Emelda Berejena further elaborated on the broader institutional platform being developed through FAO's collaboration with SAU, research centres, and agricultural extension departments. 'This integrated framework is bridging science, technology, and farming communities to build long-term climate resilience,' she said. The meeting concluded with a mutual commitment to enhance institutional engagement, strengthen climate-smart agriculture, and scale up collaborative research and planning efforts across Sindh. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
29-06-2025
- Health
- Express Tribune
$18.7m pandemic response launched
Pakistan has launched the implementation of a $18.7 million project under the pandemic fund to strengthen its pandemic preparedness and response systems. Supported by the World Health Organization (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the initiative will establish "One Health Units" across the country through a coordinated approach linking human, animal, and environmental health sectors. Led by the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination and supported by the National Institute of Health (NIH), the initiative emphasises the urgent need for integrated action across human, animal, and environmental health systems. The launch event, held in Islamabad, brought together over 70 stakeholders, including senior government officials from the ministries of health, food security, and climate change, as well as representatives from provincial authorities and development partners. "The pandemic fund presents a critical opportunity for countries like Pakistan to bolster their national health security. The integration of the One Health approach will enable us to build resilient systems that can detect and respond to complex health threats, including zoonotic spillovers and antimicrobial resistance," said Dr Shabana Saleem, Director General of Health. Pakistan's strategy aligns with the National Action Plan for Health Security (NAPHS) and the International Health Regulations (IHR), prioritizing the One Health approach to address the fact that over 75% of emerging infectious diseases in humans originate from animals — risks further exacerbated by climate change and growing antimicrobial resistance. The One Health Units will strengthen coordinated disease surveillance, early warning systems, cross-sectoral data sharing, laboratory capacity, and workforce training. These units will be embedded within existing government systems and guided by clear mandates and governance frameworks. "The pandemic fund allows us to move from planning to action, from commitment to coordination," said Florence Rolle, FAO Representative in Pakistan. "It provides a chance to operationalize long-standing goals for zoonotic disease control, food safety, and antimicrobial resistance management." Dr Dapeng Luo, WHO Representative in Pakistan, emphasized the urgency of the effort: "The Covid pandemic was a stark reminder that building stronger health systems is no longer optional. The WHO is committed to working alongside Pakistan and its partners to save lives when the next health threat emerges." In addition to the $18.7 million from the Pandemic Fund, the initiative has mobilized $4.1 million in co-financing and $49.7 million in co-investment, underscoring strong national and international commitment to building a safer, healthier future.
Express Tribune
14-02-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Sindh minister calls for bold steps to modernise agriculture
Listen to article KARACHI: Sindh Minister for Agriculture Muhammad Bux Khan Mahar stressed the need for taking bold steps to modernise and improve productivity while creating a more resilient agriculture sector. He was speaking at the concluding session of the two-day Pakistan Agriculture Coalition's conference and expo held at Karachi Expo Centre on Thursday. He said agricultural economies across the world are working on improving their agriculture supply chains by making them more efficient, innovative, and enterprising. "The challenges such as post-harvest losses (an average 40% loss of horticulture crops), limited access to modern storage facilities, and climate change (major biblical-level floods in the last 15 years in Sindh) remain significant hurdles to the development of our agriculture sector," he said. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Country Representative in Pakistan Florence Rolle said the private sector can shape the future of a market-led agricultural market in Pakistan. She said there is a big gap between farmers and investors. Collaboration is not happening in Pakistan as it does in other countries. Gediz Kaya, CEO of GAIA Climate Turkey, said carbon credits are vital for climate mitigation investments but there is less understanding in Pakistan about carbon credits. "It's vital for investments in carbon technologies to be bankable for investors and also vital for the agriculture sector, including Small Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). It's really important for a country like Pakistan," said Kaya. Inteq Zrt Technical Director Balint Pongracz said, "Hungarian agriculture is geared towards maximising volumes, not profitability. The future clearly lies in the adoption of artificial intelligence-based systems, and we are not there yet. Hungary's strategy is to increase digitisation in agriculture on the basis of data management and integration." Sindh Public-Private Partnership Unit Director Finance Sadiq said private sector investments can improve crops, seed technologies, and advanced irrigation systems to bring in efficiencies. Trade Development Authority (TDAP) Secretary Sheryar Taj revealed that the authority is organising 27 exhibitions this year under its annual business plan to increase the export potential of the country's agriculture sector.
