WWF-Pakistan, SAU sign MoU on joint research

RECORDER REPORT

HYDERABAD: In order to conduct scientific research and share information on food and water security and biodiversity conservation, World Wide Fund for Nature-Pakistan (WWF-Pakistan) and Sindh Agriculture University (SAU) Tandojam signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Monday. The MoU aims to build and strengthen collaboration between WWF-Pakistan and SAU, Tandojam for research and documentation of scientific knowledge concerning conservation and sustainable management of natural resources for food security and poverty alleviation in Sindh.

This memorandum sets out the terms and conditions under which WWF-Pakistan and SAU Tandojam will mutually share knowledge and information for scientific research in the fields of biodiversity conservation and sustainable management of natural resources in the region. They would also build research and development collaboration that benefits the faculty, students and the local communities at large. Under this MoU, they would conduct joint research and co-publish research articles in high repute scientific journals.

Speaking on the accession, Professor Dr Mujeeb-u-ddin Sahrai, Vice Chancellor SAU Tandojam, urged the academia and scientists to focus their research on creating the scientific knowledge to cope the challenges of conservation.

He further said that the university would engage the most suitable faculty of SAU which includes Department of Agronomy, Horticulture, Crop Physiology, Water Resource Management, Crop Disease Management, Livestock Management and Agricultural Social Sciences for effective research collaboration with WWF-Pakistan. He added that faculty would prepare an action plan according to Agro-Ecological Zones of Sindh and would work for the benefit of Natural Resource Management.

While, Speaking during the MoU signing ceremony, Hammad Naqi Khan, Director General, WWF-Pakistan said that local communities are highly dependent upon environment and related natural resources. He said that there is close link between food security and natural resource management. The poor suffer most when water, land and air are polluted. He pointed out that this MoU will help address scarcity of data on food security and water quality in Sindh. He hoped that this initiative would develop long term collaboration for conservation of important flora in the province.

on this occasion, Prof Dr Muhammad Ismail Kumbhar, Director University Advancement and Financial Assistance, Dr Babar Khan, Regional Director, Sindh and Balochistan and Rab Nawaz, Senior Director Programs also spoke.