Academics at webinar suggest solutions for dealing with flood aftermath

Faculty members, researchers and agricultural experts of various varsities and research institutes in a recent webinar organised by the Centre for Business and Economic Research (CBER) of the Institute of Business Administration Karachi and Sindh Agriculture University (SAU) highlighted that Sindh would face numerous challenges in irrigation and crop production due to the floods.

The webinar titled ‘Floods 2022: Situation, Response, Blind Spots, and Way Forward’ was moderated by CBER Director Dr Junaid Alam Memon who set the context by introducing the speakers.

SAU Vice Chancellor (VC) Dr Fateh Marri provided the status for the current situation of the disaster and explained the loss of economic activity, future productions, missed opportunities and limited capacity of human resources. He stated that the Pakistani universities not only were engaged in flood relief operations but also were committed to providing policy advice, technical assistance and solution-oriented research agenda.

Dr Iqrar Ahmed Khan, University of Agriculture Faisalabad VC said drainage was the main issue for Sindh due to its location. He also suggested that while providing food items to the affected households, the feed for their livestock may also be part of the relief package.

He hoped that the farmers would be able to cultivate wheat if lands became ready for cultivation. Dr Mubarik Ahmed from the Trade and Development Authority Pakistan confirmed that the agriculture losses to the country had been tremendous, and among other crops, 80 per cent of the cotton in Sindh and 100 per cent in Balochistan were affected.

He warned that the disaster would result in reduced export and increase our dependence on food and seed imports. Naseer Memon, country representative of the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center, Pakistan, pointed out that encroachments in the rural and urban areas were the underlying cause of flood-induced disaster. He held weak institutional capacity and lack of political will responsible for the catastrophe.