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HYDERABAD, Jul 18 (APP):In a concerted effort to strengthen climate-resilient agriculture and sustainable water use in Sindh, the Sindh Agriculture University (SAU), Tandojam and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations have agreed to deepen their cooperation on joint initiatives. This agreement was reached during a high-level review meeting held at FAO’s provincial office in Tandojam on Friday.
The meeting was chaired by the Vice Chancellor of SAU Prof. Dr. Altaf Ali Siyal and Ms. Florence Rolle, FAO Representative in Pakistan, and attended by Dr. Julius Muchemi, Head of FAO Sindh Office, Ms. Emelda Berejena, Project Manager of the Green Climate Fund (GCF)-supported initiative, Ms. Amna Bajwa, Programme Head along with other technical experts.
The SAU spokesperson told “ApP” that participants reviewed the progress of several collaborative projects between SAU and FAO, particularly in climate-vulnerable districts such as Umerkot, Sanghar and Badin. These joint efforts aim to promote adaptive farming practices through improved irrigation efficiency, short-duration crops, intercropping, seed development and agricultural marketing.
Highlighting the university’s contributions, Dr. Altaf Ali Siyal noted that SAU experts were working directly with farmers and conducting field-based training. He added that the university’s FLUX Tower was actively recording meteorological data to support crop planning and early warning systems. Additionally, SAU’s communication team was conducting outreach and awareness programs, while university graduates working with FAO were contributing to food security initiatives in the field.
Speaking on the occasion, Florence Rolle emphasized that with the support of the Green Climate Fund, FAO had initiated the installation of Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) across Sindh to strengthen data-driven agricultural decision-making. “Our goal is to ensure that these tools enhance local planning and pave the way for sustainable development,” she stated.
Dr. Julius Muchemi shared that nine AWS units were currently being installed in Sanghar, Badin and Umerkot. These stations will continuously monitor key agro-meteorological parameters including temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction, precipitation, soil temperature and electrical conductivity.
Emelda Berejena further elaborated on the broader institutional platform being developed through FAO’s collaboration with SAU, research centres and agricultural extension departments.