Investment in biotechnology research, strengthening of regulatory framework and adoption of genetically modified technologies in agriculture are inevitable for national food security of Pakistan. Another agriculture revolution is required to feed the exploding population that would touch 335 million by the year 2050. Noted agriculture biotechnologists made these observations at a seminar organised by Pakistan Biotechnology Information Centre (PABIC) in collaboration with Agriculture Journalists Association (AJA), Lahore. The seminar was attended by biotechnology researchers and AJA members from print and electronic media. Addressing the seminar, Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission’s Director General (Agri & Biotech) Dr Yusuf Zafar underscored that the country was facing multiple food security related challenges, which required equal attention from both public and private sectors. He pointed out that in per capita term; Pakistan had 7,400-cubic-meter water available in 1947, which dropped to 1,000-cubic-meter in 2005. Similarly, land availability had shrunk from 0.7 hectare to 0.4 hectare during the same period. On the other hand, population had been busting on a rapid pace, which would touch 335 million by 2050, he maintained. He pointed out that in the wake of new WTO laws and regulations, including Agreement on Agriculture (AoA), Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) and Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures, were hurdles in transfer of new technologies, but government and public sector could play a vital role in these areas.
