Bus art unveiled to promote water conservation

Islamabad: Australian High Commissioner Neil Hawkins and Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) CEO Professor Wendy Umberger on Thursday unveiled bus art here showcasing techniques for water conservation and improving food security, marking 40 years of agricultural collaboration between the two countries.

Public buses will carry cartoons created by Australian alumnus and Pakistani cartoonist Nigar Nazar, conveying messages to raise community awareness of simple practices to achieve sustainable agriculture and address the impacts of climate change including water scarcity, according to the Australian envoy. At the launch event, he said the messages reflected Australian and Pakistani efforts to improve Pakistan's agricultural sector over the last four decades.

“For 40 years, Australia has stood beside Pakistan, working to tackle some of the most pressing challenges in agriculture and water management. This bus art initiative captures the essence of that collaboration—using creativity to inspire action and connect people in rural and urban Punjab,” he said.

ACIAR CEO Prof Wendy Umberger said the "creative and impactful" initiative reached beyond the fields and into the lives of Pakistanis. "We have worked closely with Pakistani farmers, scientists, and policymakers over the last 40 years to develop sustainable agricultural practices, improve food security, and enhance livelihoods, particularly in Punjab, Sindh, and Balochistan,” she said.