PARC and ADB Host “Promoting Climate Smart Agriculture Research in Pakistan” Workshop at NARC Islamabad

Islamabad: (PR&P, PARC) PARC and ADB collaborated to host a groundbreaking workshop focused on Promoting climate-smart agricultural research in Pakistan. The event, held at National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC) Islamabad, brought together esteemed participants from various national and international research organizations. Chairman PARC, Dr. Ghulam Muhammad Ali, expressed his gratitude to all attendees, including Ms. Noriko Sato senior Natural Resources Specialist ADB, Dr. Takashi Yamano, principal economist ADB and others for their valuable contributions to the cause. Chairman PARC reiterated that Climate smart agriculture research is crucial in addressing the challenges posed by rapidly changing climatic conditions to ensure sustainable food production and agricultural resilience. Dr. Ali also underscored the importance of engaging with international institutions and experts to leverage their knowledge and experiences for the benefit of agricultural research in the region.

During her remarks, Ms. Noriko Sato provided a comprehensive overview of ADB’s initiatives in Pakistan. Dr. Takashi Yamano presented insights on climate change impacts, including temperature variations, crop damage from floods, and greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture. The discussions also encompassed potential solutions to mitigate these emissions, such as promoting low-carbon rice cultivation and developing climate-resilient and drought-tolerant crop varieties. Dr. Ruben Lampayan, ADB consultant highlighted the inefficiencies in water usage in rice cultivation and emphasized the adoption of water conservation techniques, Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) practices, and other effective water management technologies to enhance rice production while minimizing water consumption. Senior specialist, Dr. Krishna Dev Joshi highlighted the importance of the delivery of climate smart crop varieties to transform Agri-food system of Pakistan and to address the challenges of climate change and ensure food security in the country. Climate Change specialist, Dr. Hiz Jamali emphasized that low water productivity in rice poses a significant challenge to sustainable agriculture practices in Pakistan, exacerbated by key climate challenges such as water scarcity, unusual rainfall patterns, and rising temperatures impacting crop yields

Director Water Institute NARC, Dr. Bashir Ahmed, and Director NIGAB, Dr. Shaukat Ali shared insights on success stories by PARC on climate smart agriculture in Pakistan enhancing water productivity in rice, developing climate-resilient crop varieties, addressing climate change implications on water availability, and tackling key climate challenges in country’s agriculture sector. The meeting concluded with a commitment between PARC and ADB to collaborate for the advancement of sustainable agricultural practices and fostering global partnerships to address the evolving environmental conditions affecting food security and economic growth in the country.