Bahawalpur, November 18, 2021 (PPI-OT):A seminar on bio-fortification of wheat and elimination of zinc deficiency in Punjab was held at Islamia University Bahawalpur in which Dr. Lal Hussain Akhtar, Director Agriculture Research was the special guest and Prof. Dr. Muhammad Iqbal, Dean Faculty of Agriculture and Environment and Dr. Asif Naveed Ranjha, Director. Fundraising and University Advancement was the guest of honour. The seminar was attended by a large number of people from various government departments, private sector companies, private organizations and farmers.
The purpose of this seminar is to educate the government sector, private sector and farmers about the types of zinc bio-fortified wheat and its importance in solving the problem of malnutrition as well as help farmers to cultivate zinc bio-fortified wheat and get better yields. The chief guest of the function, Dr. Lal Hussain Akhtar, Director Agriculture Research, said that this is the best seminar of its kind in Punjab which has been organized with regard to bio-fortification. ۔ Pakistan is one of the major wheat producing and consuming countries.
I thank all the scientists in my institute for working day and night to introduce zinc biofertified wheat seeds which help us to improve nutrition as well as zinc. It will also help improve the health of children and women in particular. He further said that in this regard we are working on more zinc fortified seeds and soon new seeds in which Nawab and Sadiq will be available for cultivation to 21 people.
The guest of honour, Prof. Dr. Muhammad Iqbal, Dean, Faculty of Agriculture and Environment, while expressing his views, appreciated the services of Awareness and Harvest Plus and said that it is a great step for these institutions to conduct such awareness programs in collaboration with the University. He also encouraged farmers to cultivate zinc bio-fortified wheat as its use can alleviate zinc deficiency especially in children and women.
Addressing the participants, Dr. Asif Naveed Ranjha, Director, Fundraising and University Advancement, said that we are very grateful to Awareness and Harvest Plus for organizing this program in collaboration with the University and not only for informing the farmers.
Yes, but our young generation is also preparing our students who are the representatives of the biggest change because we have to work together to eradicate malnutrition in Punjab so that our future generations will be free from malnutrition. Don’t be a victim and make the future of Pakistan bright.
“We can reach out to a large number of people through the use of social media, print and electronic media, as well as educate us through educational institutions and religious institutions about the use of zinc fortified wheat,” he added. So that this wheat is being eaten in every household and every child and every woman can enjoy a better health and prosperous life.
Munawar Hussain Advices Harvest Plus said that bio fortification is the process of increasing the density of zinc and other vitamins in crops through traditional plant breeding techniques. These foods are essential for maintaining good health and human development. Pakistan is one of the largest wheat consuming countries in the world.
Wheat consumption in Pakistan is 87 kg per capita per annum and zinc deficiency can be overcome through bio-fortification of wheat. Wheat (Zinc) The first type of Zincol 2016, was provided to farmers at the beginning of the wheat replacement season during 2015-16 and was introduced by some farmers. In 2019, a new variety of zinc bio fortified wheat, Akbar 2019, was developed by Ayub Agriculture Research Institute, Faisalabad. Secondary statistics reveal that more than 50 million people in Pakistan suffer from zinc deficiency.
Zinc deficiency can be overcome by cultivating Zinc Wheat varieties Akbar 2019 and Zincol 2016. Javed Iqbal Harvest Plus introduced better agricultural measures to farmers to increase wheat production. He provided information to the farmers on crop preparation, balanced and better use of fertilizers and said that for the current crop, a total of 36,000 tons of Zankol-2016 and Akbar-2019 seeds were available which were cultivated on an area of 000,360 acres.
Mohammad Waqas Tahir, Project Manager, Awareness, while addressing the participants, explained how Awareness is working with government agencies to achieve the goals of sustainable development, including clean drinking water and sanitation in different districts of Punjab.
Is working closely with various government and non-government organizations to reduce the risk of disasters, overcome malnutrition, and provide better health care, as well as bio-fortification of wheat to alleviate zinc deficiency. He also informed about the services of the institution in this regard.
He said that he has been a student of the Department of Social Work, Islamia University, Bahawalpur and pays tribute to his department and the university for playing a vital role in education as well as training and honing the skills of the students as per market requirements.
Speaking further, he said that we will continue to organize more such programs in collaboration with the university and hoped that these new varieties of wheat would not only boost agricultural production in the country but also reduce food insecurity. Overcoming it will help in building a better society. In addition, experts from the Department of Agriculture Extension, Harvestist Plus, gave advice to farmers at the event on crop cultivation, problems and better yields.
For more information, contact:
The Islamia University of Bahawalpur (IUB)
University Chowk, Gulshan Colony, Bahawalpur,
Punjab – 63100, Pakistan
Tel: +92-62-9250235
Fax: +92-62-9250335
E-mail: info@iub.edu.pk
Website: https://www.iub.edu.pk/