Faisalabad, Pakistan, November 21, 2023 - Dr. Masoud Jarallah Al-Marri, Chairman of the Executive Board and Caretaker Director General of the Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS), highlighted the pressing issues of food security and sustainable agriculture during his visit to the University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF). Dr Al-Marri, accompanied by Director of Programs and Projects of the IOFS, Prof. Dr. Zulfiqar Ali, engaged with the leadership of the UAF, including Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Iqrar Ahmad Khan, deans, and directors, emphasizing the need for coordinated efforts in the face of climate change and a growing global population.
Expressing concern over heavy food imports for the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Member States, Dr. Al-Marri outlined IOFS's strategic mission to ensure sustainable food security in Member States. He affirmed their commitment to providing expertise on sustainable agriculture, rural development, environmental issues, and biotechnology. To note, the IOFS is actively addressing challenges posed by desertification, deforestation, erosion, and salinity, managing financial and agricultural resources to enhance food security. Dr. Zulfiqar Ali also elaborated on the state of food security in the OIC region by emphasizing the food net import surpassing $65 billion amid the OIC’s 1.9 billion population. Therefore, the core mission of the IOFS is to ensure food security in its Member States through socio-economic development and the systemic promotion of targeted programs related to sustainable agriculture, science and technology, humanitarian aid and trade among OIC Member States.
Prof. Dr. Iqrar Ahmad Khan in turn highlighted UAF's contributions in developing high-yielding crop varieties and stressed the importance of increasing oilseed cultivation to reduce Pakistan's 4 billion-dollar yearly edible oil import. Climate change impacts on agriculture, including shifting monsoons and heat shocks, were discussed, emphasizing the urgency of introducing new crop varieties to combat low productivity and emerging diseases.
The UAF leadership, including Pro-Vice Chancellor/Dean Agriculture Prof. Dr. Muhammad Sarwar Khan, emphasized the agriculture sector's role in poverty alleviation and foreign exchange earnings. The need for adopting the latest technologies to increase per-acre productivity was underscored.
The collaborative meeting between IOFS and UAF showcased a shared commitment to addressing challenges and fostering sustainable solutions in the pursuit of global food security and agricultural development.
