Lahore: (Wednesday, May 21, 2014): Punjab University Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Mujahid Kamran has said that there was need to focus on agriculture sector and do research in the field to cater to the needs of increasing population of the world and feed around 7 billion people.

He was addressing inaugural session of 3-day International conference titled “Stress Biology & Biotechnology: Challenges and Management” organized by Institute of Agricultural Sciences at Auditorium of Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology here on Wednesday. Chairman Pakistan Science Foundation Dr Khalil Ahmed Ibupoto, Director IAGS Prof Dr Saleem Haider, University of Toronto’s Prof Dr Munir Abu Haider, Prof Dr Kausar Abdullah Malik, faculty members and a large number of students were present on the occasion.

Addressing the ceremony, the VC said that it was on agenda of international elite to reduce world’s population through wars and such other means. He said that University of Agriculture, Faisalabad was playing important role for the development of agricultural sphere while Punjab University was also rendering all-out support for research in agriculture. Dr Khalil Ahmed lauded PU IAGS for its efforts to boost agriculture sector in Pakistan and said that Pakistan Science Foundation will provide full support in this regard. Dr Munir said that he was happy to see that Pakistan was making efforts to cope with problems being faced by agriculture sector. Dr Saleem Haider said that Pakistan was facing various serious challenges in agriculture i.e. environmental changes, poor agri-marketing system, problems of farmers, low quality pesticides, electricity etc. He said that purpose of the conference was to debate on these challenges and provides solutions.