Experts caution government over GMO crops

SHERGARH: Speakers at a grand ‘Farmers Convention’ on Wednesday urged the government to stay away from any decision or even discussion to allow genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in cereal crops, as their hazardous effects on humans and animals have already been proved.

“The discussion about the introduction of GM crops has resurfaced at various forums. The multinational companies promoting GM seeds have become active once again to influence the quarters concerned and make an entry into the country’s market after being rejected across the globe,” said Mohammad Mushtaq Safi, chief executive of Petal Seeds and Zarghun Corporation, while addressing the convention titled ‘Salam Kisan.’

Officers of seed development and regulatory authority, the agriculture department, seed certification bodies, administrators and faculty members of agriculture universities and research centers, farmers, and seed distributors from across the province and other parts of the country attended the convention, which was organized by Petal Seeds and Zarghun Corporation.

National Seed Development and Regulatory Authority Chairman Dr Asif Ali Khan, who is also a former vice-chancellor of Mian Nawaz Sharif Agriculture University Multan, was the chief guest on the occasion. Vice-Chancellor Agriculture University Peshawar Prof Dr Jahan Bakht, Director General Agriculture Research Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Dr Abdul Rauf, Director General Seed Certification Islamabad Azam Khan, Director Cereal Crop Institute Pirsabaq Nowshera, Fazli Wahab, KP President Kisan Board Rizwanullah, Director General Plant Protection, Haji Mohammad, Director General Crop Reporting Services Altaf Hussain, officials from Petal Seed Company, Mohammad Ashfaq Safi, Mohammad Ishtiaq Safi, and others were prominent among the participants.

Mushtaq Safi stressed that even if the authorities intend to allow GM seeds, they should at least save Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and the white maize from it. “I appeal to all the departments and organizations present here to avoid allowing GMOs and stop treating KP as a laboratory for making more and more experiments in all fields,” he added.

He feared that if GMOs are allowed in Pakistan, not a single unit of staple food would be exported from the country. He said that white maize is cultivated on 2 million acres of land in the country and every part of the crop is utilized by humans as well as animals.

The speakers on the occasion urged all stakeholders to join hands and play an active role towards a ‘Green Pakistan’ and the attainment of self-sufficiency in food products. Dr Jahan Bakht expressed his appreciation for the growth of Petal Seeds. He said that it was his first physical visit to the company to witness its tremendous contribution to the agricultural sector. He added that the services provided by the company were a good omen for farmers in the province and the country at large.

He expressed concern about the effects of climate change, saying Pakistan was unfortunately among the list of ten countries where the temperature is feared to rise by 4 degrees Celsius. Dr Jahan Bakht focused his speech on potable water and its wastage in the country. He said that Pakistan ranked 14th among the countries where the most water is wasted. He remarked: “We extract more water from the earth and give it the least.”

He said that flood irrigation was a major source of water wastage, which should be replaced by modern scientific irrigation methods to conserve water. He warned that if water continues to be wasted at the current pace, the country may soon face severe water shortages.

The vice-chancellor said that 38 percent of the country’s population was not getting sufficient food. He urged all stakeholders from the public and private sectors to come forward and play an effective role in making the country self-sufficient in food products.

He also underlined the need to promote the culture of tree plantation, which he termed the most effective means to combat the hazards of climate change. He said that they had made it compulsory for the students of the agriculture university to plant at least ten trees every year.

Dr Asif Ali Khan said that in order to meet the requirements of seeds in the country, the private sector would have to be encouraged and strengthened. He said that it was not possible for the public sector alone to overcome the increasing needs of modern farming and enhance productivity by providing quality seeds and other necessities to farmers.

He lauded the role of Petal Seeds, saying that it was a matter of great satisfaction that the company was planning to go international. “So far, we have been importing seeds from multinational companies. Petal Seeds would become the first Pakistani company to attain multinational status in maize seed,” he said.

He assured full support to the management of Petal Seeds from the official quarters in its endeavor to go international and emerge as a quality multinational company.Abdul Rauf also lauded the phenomenal growth of Petal Seeds Company in a short span of time. He said that the quality of research and seed development of Petal Seeds and Zarghun Corporation was no less than international standards by any means.

Altaf Hussain said that KP was paying Rs750 billion a year to other provinces of the country on account of food imports. He said that the demand for wheat in the province was one million tons a few years back, which has now increased to 3.8 million tons. The reason, he said, was the reduction of cultivable land every year due to the hike in the cost of production.Azam Khan, Haji Mohammad, Mohammad Ishtiaq Safi, Rizwanullah and others also spoke on the occasion.