By The World Ambassador
TWA
______
A three days 2nd International Conference on Plant Sciences & Expo 2024 (ICPSE-2024) under the theme: Plant Biodiversity and Food Security in the Wake of Climate Change (PBFS-CC)” commenced at Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi (PMAS-AAUR), here on Tuesday.
PMAS-AAUR Faculty of Sciences is organizing this conference in collaboration with Pakistan Science Foundation, Higher Education Commission of Pakistan, Punjab Higher Education Commission, with an aim to present the most recent advances in plant biodiversity with a special emphasis on food security in the climate change scenario.
Speakers from 7 countries, leading Botanists, Ecologists, Agriculturalists, Herbalists and various relevant industries are participating in this conference through the exhibition. The scientific program covers plenary lectures from invited speakers & presentations from researchers while 200 abstracts received from 100 institutions of Pakistan, says press note.
Prof. Dr. Muhammad Mukhtar, Chairman HEC Islamabad was the chief guest at the inaugural ceremony. In his address highlighting the impact of climate change on food security and said that food security is a world challenge and research based planning is the need of the time for sustainable agricultural practices to ensure food security. He stressed to enhance collaboration among the academia, agriculture sector experts, farmers, and industry for the development of the agriculture sector. Chairman HEC appreciated the organizers for arranging the conference. He also hoped that this conference would provide an ideal platform for the researchers, and scientists to exchange ideas, and share their experiences.
Johnny Shields, Senior Facility Manager, US Embassy Islamabad was the guest of honor. He said that Climate change is a natural phenomenon but it is directly affected on food and food security. He stressed to take urgent measures for food security, as it is important for human survival.
Prof. Dr. Muhammad Naeem Vice Chancellor PMAS-AAUR, while addressing, said that plant biodiversity has become an increasingly recognized critical issue at local, national, and global levels. He hoped that this conference will be helpful to identify and discuss innovative strategies to conserve plant biodiversity and enhance the resilience of food systems.
Prof. Dr. Kinney Chad, Director Institute of Cannabis Research, Colorado State University, USA addressed online on the topic Trends and Challenges Associated with Cannabis Research: Therapeutic Opportunity or Public Health Concern.
Prof. Dr. Henrik Balslev, Aarhus University, Denmark and Prof. Dr. Rahmatullah Qureshi (Chief Organizer/Dean, Faculty of Sciences) also addressed the occasion.
On the occasion Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was also signed between PMAS-AAUR and Institute of Cannabis Research (ICR), Colorado State University, USA. Under the MoU both institutes agreed in advancing cannabis research, education, training, and development, and dissemination of knowledge.
Both parties also agreed for student exchange and visiting scholar initiatives, collaborative academic program, cooperate in the exchange of information related to activities in research of mutual interest and benefit, joint educational, training, and academic research activities, joint grant application(s) to granting agencies in both countries, exchange of academic resources and information, organization of scholarly activities such as courses, seminars, training sessions, conferences, and symposiums by either Party.
