The Islamia University of Bahawalpur (IUB) organized the 2nd International Conference on innovation in agriculture and ensuring food security in the context of climate change.
The conference was inaugurated by Vice Chancellor IUB Engr Prof Dr Athar Mahboob. Delegates from various universities and institutions including China, America, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Belgium and Pakistan participated in the conference. Engr Prof Dr Athar Mahboob said that the IUB has become the first university in the country due to research work in the context of environment and climate change. The experts of the IUB developed cotton seeds that are successful in all these factors in the context of climate change.
Similarly, the project of mixed cultivation of corn and soybeans has been started with the cooperation of Chinese universities, due to which the foreign exchange of billions of rupees can be saved in the import of poultry feed and edible oil. Similarly, through rain augmentation project in Cholistan, 7 lakh acres area can be converted into fruit basket of Pakistan. The IUB’s Consortium on Climate Change has become an effective platform at the national and international level with the participation of 60 universities and institutions.
Pro Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Akhtar Naveed appreciated the organization of the conference and the participation of domestic and foreign delegates in the context of climate change and declared it as welcome for the university. Dean Faculty of Agriculture Prof Dr Moazzam Jameel said that the Faculty of Agriculture is benefiting the farming community through its cutting-edge research.
Dean Faculty of Chemical and Biological Sciences and Conference Patron Prof Dr Shazia Anjum thanked the Vice Chancellor and other important national institutions in the welcome speech. Prof Dr Rubina Bhatti, Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, said in her address that the Islamia University of Bahawalpur has become a high-level university by organizing seminars and conferences on the most important topics.
Among the important domestic and foreign experts participating in the conference are Dr Zhaohui Lin, Director International Center for Climate Change and Environment Sciences China, Dr Muhammad Anjum Ali, Director General Agriculture Punjab, Irfan Tariq, former Director General, Dr Shaukat Ali, Global Change Study Center Islamabad, Sajid Iqbal, Dr Muhammad Adeel, Dr Muhammad Azhar Ehsan, International Center for Climate and Society, Columbia University, (IRI) USA, Prof Dr Ashfaq Ahmed Chattha, Dr Tahir Hussain Awan, Punjab Agriculture Research Board (PRAB) Lahore, Dr Naresh Magan, Dr Michelle Simoes Reboita, Fritz Bohmler, Prof Dr Asif Naveed Ranjha, Chairman, Department of Social Work, Dr Abid Gill, Chairman, Department of Economics, and Shahzad Ahmed Khalid, Director, Press Media and Publications, participated.
The focal person of the conference, Dr Wajid Naseem Jatoi, thanked the special patronage of the Vice-Chancellor Engr Prof Dr Athar Mahboob and the domestic and foreign delegates. On this occasion, a memorandum of understanding was also signed between the Islamia University of Bahawalpur and the International Center for Climate and Society, Columbia University, USA.
