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FAISALABAD, Nov 21 (APP):The experts have stressed the urgent need to promote efficient use of phosphorus to ensure balanced plant nutrition, enhance productivity and bridge the existing yield gap.
They were addressing an international seminar titled “Phosphorus: The Hidden Driver of Food Security and Climate-Smart Farming” arranged by Engro Fertilizers in collaboration with the University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) at Iqbal Auditorium UAF.
The speakers said that by investing Rs.13 billion in bio-fertilizers and compost, the country could reduce reliance on chemical fertilizers worth Rs.175 billion while a modest 10 percent increase in yield through this intervention would save an additional Rs.250 billion annually.
Delivering the keynote address, Marketing Director OCP Nutricrops, Morocco Siham Jabrane emphasized that the world is simultaneously facing challenges of food security and climate change. She said that soil health must be restored through balanced fertilization to sustain high quality crop yields. She advocated the 4R approach right fertilizer, right place, right rate and right time to optimize nutrient efficiency, boost productivity and protect long-term soil health, enabling farmers to adopt cost-effective sustainable practices.
Prof. Dr. Muhammad Naveed warned that global food security depends on mined rock phosphate, a non-renewable resource that is depleting rapidly. He explained that due to high calcium content in soils, up to 80-90 percent of applied phosphorus becomes chemically fixed and unavailable to plants, resulting in global losses exceeding USD 100 billion annually. He proposed that bio-fertilizers could reduce chemical use by 25 percent and, in Pakistan’s context, save Rs.415 billion on 45.5 million acres of cultivated land.
Dr. Javed Ahmad Additional Director General and Chief Scientist of Wheat Research Institute said that his organization has successfully released 106 crop varieties in the past five years including 11 wheat varieties, which have contributed to an additional annual gain of Rs.180 billion.
Prof Dr Muhammad Yaseen drew attention to alarming water usage trends, noting that 4,000 liters are required to produce one kilogram of rice and 1,400 liters for wheat. He cautioned that by 2030, major crops may face stagnant growth and rising prices due to climate change. He further revealed that 90 percent of soils are alkaline and deficient in nitrogen, phosphorus and organic matter while Pakistan produces 40 billion tons of crop residues annually, 53 percent from rice, 22 percent from wheat and 25 percent from other crops, which could be utilized to enrich soil organic matter through mechanical interventions.
The seminar also featured contributions from Prof. Dr. Rao Zahid Abass Director ORIC UAF, Dr. Sajidur Rehman, Dr. Abid Niaz, Dr. Shahid, Dr. Zulfiqar Ghauri, Naeem Farrukh, Amer Ghafoor, Kashan Aslam, Syed Shauzab Gardezi, Ijaz Ahmad, and Dr. Khuram Zia who collectively underscored the importance of sustainable nutrient management and innovative agronomic practices to secure the country’s food future and mitigate the impacts of climate change.