Pakistan needs to adopt innovation for food security and regional trade in agriculture by bridging ideas and establishing funding partnerships, speakers at the Food Security Hackathon said.
The Hackathon was organized by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) in collaboration with the Canadian High Commission and the National Incubation Centre for Aerospace Technologies.
The speakers also emphasized the role of collaboration, technology and innovation, and sustainable practices in ensuring food security in Pakistan and achieving national development.
A looming existential threat
Dr Abid Qaiyum Suleri, Executive Director of SDPI, warned that if Pakistan did not take appropriate measures immediately to address food insecurity issues, it may face an existential threat. Pakistan’s agriculture sector is being severely affected by climate change and this could result in Pakistan losing more than 9% of its annual GDP, Suleri said, citing a UNESCAP report.
“Extreme weather conditions will pose a serious threat to the food security of Pakistan in the future,” Dr. Suleri said further, adding that Hunger Index 2021 ranks Pakistan 92 out of 116 countries.
Precision agriculture technologies
Air Commodore Dr Tauseef ur Rehman of National Aerospace Science & Technology Park (NASTP), said that his organization has taken the initiative to introduce “precision agriculture technologies” in the country. The project involves a group of shareholders from both the private and the public sectors. The project focuses on the use of drones, supercomputing, and advanced sensors in agriculture.
Dr Vaqar Ahmed, Joint Executive Director SDPI, said: “To turn a winning hackathon idea into a successful startup, it’s important to refine the idea, validate it, build a prototype, create a business plan, secure funding, network, and execute and iterate.”
“This is what SDPI, Canada Fund for Local Initiatives, and the National Incubation Center for Aerospace Technologies aim to make easy for our youth. We also wish to forward winning ideas from the hackathon to the Ministry of National Food Security and Research, if some of the ideas can be funded through development budgets or public-private partnerships,” he said.
Leslie Scanlon, High Commissioner of Canada in Pakistan, said her country was committed to supporting sustainable food security projects and climate-resilient agriculture globally, especially in Pakistan. She emphasized Canada’s contributions to the Green Climate Fund and the International Fund for Agricultural Development, along with efforts to promote science-based policies for genetically modified agricultural products.
Food Security Hackathon highlights
Experts and panelists discussed:
- Best practices in agriculture
- Reaching the balance between imports and exports in Agriculture
- Policy consistency for agri trade
- Green AI & Precision Agriculture
- Public-Private Partnership
- Support for agritech startups and innovation