Pakistan Needs to Adopt GM Crops, Say Academic Leaders

The food security situation has worsened in Pakistan aggravated by climate change and natural disasters putting the country on the 11^th spot of food insecure countries among 148 nations. Vice Chancellor Iftikhar Ahmad Khan of the University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) said that crop improvement through conventional breeding would not be sufficient to meet the challenges of increasing food demand due to ever-growing population. "We have to adopt new technologies, like genetic engineering, and strengthen our existing crop improvement system," he explained. Khan spoke during the national seminar on Genetic Modified (GM) Crops organized by the UAF Center of Biochemistry and Biotechnology.

Vice Chancellor Khalid Mehmood Khan of the Agriculture University Rawalpindi talked about the benefits of GM technology. He said that it increases pest resistance, contributes to nutritional improvement of crops, and reduces use of pesticides. In addition, GM technology leads to improved shelf life and crop quality. He urged farmers to benefit from GM crops noting that "our focus should remain on improving agricultural crops."

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