HYDERABAD: Environ-mentalists have expressed concern over the barrenness of agricultural land due to increasing human population, activities and environmental pollution, saying that more and more trees should be planted to save agricultural land from drought; otherwise this problem will affect future generations and will lead to destruction.

A seminar on the occasion of World Famine and Drought Day organized by Malteser International, an NGO was held at District Council Hall, Sanghar today with the participation of all concerned agencies and departments.

Addressing the seminar, Aman Mehr, Assistant Professor, Mehran University, Jamshoro said that the United Nations had decided to observe the World Famine and Drought Day in 1994. He said that from 2021 to 2030, 100 countries of the world have set a 10-year target for the restoration of drought-prone agricultural land. In the meantime, with the participation of the people, the barren agricultural land will be made cultivable again.

He said that increase in human population and conversion of agricultural lands into housing schemes would create food shortage in future which would prove to be a very dangerous situation. He said that due to climate change, temperature, floods, over-irrigated crops and lack of health care of agricultural land, the land becomes prone to drought which Pakistan has also formulated a National Action Plan to prevent under which tree planting and other crops are being planted in different provinces in accordance with the environment for which the individual role of the society is of utmost importance.

Deputy Director Social Welfare Abdul Hameed Sheikh, Deputy Director Agriculture Muhammad Hashim Solangi, DC Office Coordinator Muhammad Sabir Mehr, Sindh Resettlement Board Representative Nawaz Hussain Bodani. Mubashir Hussain Soomro, National Program Manager, Malteser International Khaliq-ur-Rehman and others also addressed the gathering.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021