WWF will sign MoU with SAU Tando Jam for land development, tree plantation, and technical support. SAU faculty and students will be involved in research and internship programs.
Tando Jam
The World Wide Fund for Conservation of Nature (WWF) and Sindh Agriculture University (SAU) will jointly conduct research on green business projects for climate change, tree planting, better cotton production and organic farming.
Both the organizations have agreed on future cooperation for action, research, development and coordinating the project activities in Sindh.
Tahir Rasheed, Regional Head, and Altaf Shaikh, Program Coordinator, WWF Pakistan visited Sindh Agriculture University, Tando Jam on Monday and discussed various issues in a meeting with Vice Chancellor Dr. Fateh Marri and heads of various academic and administrative departments of the university. They also briefed about WWF plans regarding climate change, tree plantation better cotton initiative, integrated organic farming and future collaboration for action research and development to synergize the project activities in Sindh.
Dr. Fateh Marri highlighted the research priorities areas in Agricultural Education Extension, indigo conservation, rangeland and wetland management, and opportunities for investment for green loans to develop industry-academia linkages. He viewed that the joint venture research project and fundraising proposals will attract the global market for agricultural development in Sindh.
Dr. Marri suggested that salt and drought-tolerant varieties of fruit trees may be given focus to cope with waterlogging and salinity challenges.
Tahir Rasheed said that WWF focuses on environment conservation, forest, wildlife, alternative energy, oceans. “We are focusing on green business and joint venture projects with universities for action research and ultimately this would be helpful for economic good through commercialization.”
He told that WWF is supporting the business model through green loans and SAU faculty, researchers and students will be involved in joint research programs.
He added that WWF will also support SAU for nursery development and will also plant trees in various locations at the University and its sub-campus and colleges at Umerkot, Dokri, and Khairpur.
He said that WWF will sign MoU with SAU Tando Jam for land development, tree plantation, and technical support. Simultaneously the SAU faculty and students will be involved in research and internship programs.
Prof. Dr. Muhammad Ismail Kumbhar, Director University Advancement and Financial Assistance opined that SAU and WWF can work together through a green climate fund for organic products to alleviate poverty and reduce malnutrition. He suggested that local species of plants and trees may be promoted and farmers’ capacity may be built to adopt indigenous trees at their farms.
Prof. Dr. Inayatullah Rajpar, Chairman Department of Soil Sciences, said that bio-saline agriculture should focus to improve the coastal land. He told that his department has developed salt-tolerant trees and focused on land resource management and adaption of bio-saline agriculture at the grass-root level. He added that the department has also been involved in utilizing banana waste in fiber, pulp, compost, and liquid fertilizer, and the students are involved in their research activities at the field level for the preparation of the bio-fertilizer.
Altaf Shaikh, Coordinator, WWF Pakistan informed how WWF is creating awareness among the communities regarding sustainable natural resource management. He said that the joint venture programs through research priorities areas in Agricultural Education would be helpful for the quality and monitoring of programs and training of the farming community.
Monsoon Tree Plantation
Prof. Dr. Fateh Marri, Vice Chancellor inaugurated the Monsoon Tree Plantation campaign on Monday by planting a sapling near the Faculty of Crop Production. An extensive Tree Plantation Campaign was organized by Campus Coordination and Beautification Committee.
Addressing to inaugural ceremony Dr. Fateh Marri said that environmental awareness is a global issue, and the ‘greenhouse effect’ and ‘global warming’ are caused due to human activities, ultimately, resulting in the overall climate change that is drastically affecting our environment.
Prof. Dr. Inayatullah Rajper Chairman, of the Campus Coordination and Beautification Committee, briefed that the SAU has prepared the plan that thousands of saplings of various species will be planted in the front and corners of campus.
Pro-Vice Chancellor Dr. Jan Muhammad Marri, Deans, Dr. Qamaruddin Chachar, Dr. AIjaz Ali Khooharo, Dr. Syed Ghiyasuddin Shah Rashidi, Dr. Altaf Siyal, Dr. Aijaz Soomro, Dr. Ziaul Hassan Shah, Pir Ahmed Naqi Shah, Dr. Barkatullah Qureshi, Dr, Ghulam Mujtaba Khushik, Directors, Head of the Departments and a number of teachers, officers planted the saplings. (PR)
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