ISLAMABAD, Oct 21 (APP):Chief Scientist Agriculture (Research), Dr Sajid-ur-Rehman, has stressed the need to adopt Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices to protect crops, reduce losses and strengthen Pakistan’s food security.
Addressing the Annual Programme of Research Work for Rabi 2026-27 of the Entomological Research Institute, Faisalabad, he said modern pest control methods and scientific guidance could help farmers improve crop production and protect their crops from harmful insects.
The meeting was held at the Ayub Agricultural Research Institute (AARI), Faisalabad, where agricultural scientists presented their latest research findings and discussed new methods to control crop pests.
Sajid said better crop care, reduced post-harvest losses and timely advice to farmers were essential for increasing agricultural productivity and ensuring food security.
He emphasized that research institutions should focus on practical and environment-friendly solutions to help farmers protect their crops while reducing unnecessary use of pesticides.
Dr Ghulam Sarwar, Additional Chief Scientist at the Vegetable Research Institute, Faisalabad, discussed the role of genetics in developing effective insect pest control strategies and managing pesticide resistance.
The meeting was co-chaired by Dr Waseem Akram, Chairman of the Department of Entomology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, who appreciated the efforts of agricultural scientists in promoting sustainable crop protection.
During the meeting, scientists presented 26 new research initiatives and 44 research findings, focusing on modern pesticides and environment-friendly pest management methods for Rabi crops.
The discussions also covered the protection and management of honeybees and the control of major crop pests, including whitefly, jassid, fall armyworm, fruit fly and citrus psylla.
Among those who presented their research work were Dr. Asifa Hameed, Dr Dilbar Hussain, Muhammad Rizwan, Imran Nadeem, Misbah Ashraf, Humaira Malik, Dr. Abdul Ghaffar, Syed Waqar Hussain Shah, Dr Muhammad Saleem, Ayesha Iftikhar and Najaf Awais.
At the conclusion, Dr Sajid-ur-Rehman appreciated the efforts of Dr Asif Ali, Muhammad Rizwan, Dr Muhammad Jawad Saleem and other staff members for successfully organizing the meeting.
Source: APP (Associated Press of Pakistan)
