The term crop plant biodiversity used to describe biological diversity of any crop plant, either growing today or previously collected. This biodiversity has traits such as disease resistance and heat tolerance built in a period of over thousands of years. Farmers, across the world, have evolved a diverse array of food crops based on these traits. Plant breeders have used these genetic resources for decades to breed food crops more resilient to shocks and stress, ensuring food and nutritional security for evergrowing numbers of people. According to some media reports, global plant and animal biodiversity declined 50 percent between 1990 and 2007, twice as much in tropical regions. This calls for immediate action to ensure food and nutritional security for future generations. This biodiversity can then be used to breed food crops that are resistant to pests, diseases and drought, enabling farmers to use less fungisides, insecticides or water on their farms, thus reducing their effect on the environment. In view of the above, there is astrong need to use all the possible tools to make the world free from hunger. A major tool for alleviating hunger is sadly not getting the world’s attention and that is crop plant biodiversity. Khan Faraz Peshawar
Despite clearing the placement test, completing the fee process, and attending classes for two months, my admission to...
The rising cost of living has become unbearable for many families. Basic necessities such as food, fuel, and...
This letter refers to the editorial ‘Education crisis’ . Historically, we have spent little on education but even...
Political turmoil in Pakistan is evident as various parties dispute the 2024 election results. The alleged...
As a concerned citizen, I urge the Pakistani government to prioritize robust climate change policies to address the...
The government has reportedly made a commitment to the IMF to further increase utilities prices. This is a cruel act...