LAHORE: Over 100 experts and policymakers from Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, and Pakistan gathered in Kathmandu to address the urgent need to transform food systems in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region.
With climate change, nature loss, and food insecurity posing severe threats, the conference aimed to explore sustainable agricultural practices that could benefit the environment, improve livelihoods, and secure food systems.
The international conference, organized by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), brought together academics, researchers, and policy makers, including Pakistani delegates Aamer Hayat Bhandara a prominent farmer, climate advocate and Co-Founder of Agriculture Republic, Dr. Yusuf Zafar, Ex-Chairman PARC, Yaseen Khan, DG Soil & Water, KP, and Ms. Hina Siddique, Scientific Officer, PARC. The event featured discussions on climate-resilient agriculture, digital technologies, renewable energy solutions, and sustainable food systems.
Aamer Hayat Bhandara, co-founder of Agriculture Republic, speaking in a panel on “Climate-smart mechanization and digital technologies for resilient mountain food systems” emphasized the pressing need for climate-smart mechanization in South Asia, particularly in mountain communities.
Highlighting Pakistan’s initiatives, Bhandara discussed the government’s efforts to solarize 100,000 tube wells and introduce a tractor subsidy under the Rs.400 billion Kissan Package.
He also stressed the importance of small-scale mechanization, cooperative farming models, and bridging the digital divide by ensuring access to affordable internet for rural areas. Bhandara concluded by emphasizing the role of tailored machinery and innovative technologies in empowering farmers and ensuring food security in a changing climate.
Dr. Yusuf Zafar, former chairman of the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC), joined the panel on “Regional collaboration for reducing risks and building resilience in mountain food systems.” He underscored the importance of cross-border collaboration in tackling shared agricultural challenges in the HKH region.
Dr. Zafar stressed the need for research and development, resource management, and capacity building to strengthen resilience against climate impacts.
The conference highlighted the role of agriculture in contributing to climate change but also it’s potential to be part of the solution. Abid Hussain, ICIMOD’s lead on economies pointed out that the HKH region is warming at twice the global average, and changes in water supply, caused by the melting of snow and ice, along with erratic rainfall, are putting extraordinary pressure on agriculture.
He emphasized the need to move away from industrial farming methods, which have contributed to environmental degradation, and switch to agro-ecological methods capable of sequestering carbon in the soil.
The event also marked the conclusion of the Green Resilient Agricultural Productive Ecosystems (GRAPE) project, which prototyped climate-resilient agricultural practices in two provinces of Nepal.
Kamal Prasad Aryal, who led the project’s action research, shared how scalable, low-cost agricultural solutions have improved soil health, reduced reliance on chemical fertilizers, and increased farmers’ incomes.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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