15 June 2022, Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS) participated in international symposium titled ‘Network analysis in agricultural systems to address the grand challenges to food security’ arranged by Centre for Advanced Studies in Agriculture and Food Security, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan.
The symposium gathered a number of international experts stressed upon the need to pace up efforts to ensure food security amid the situation of climate changes, new diseases, water scarcity and other issues that were playing havoc with the sector.
the inaugural session was started by a keynote speech of University of Agriculture Faisalabad Vice Chancellor, Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan who stressed upon urgency of plant diseases eradication that cause out of four world largest famines.
Whereas Dr. Karen A. Garrett from University of Florida, US during the speech noted the importance of network and integrated approach to address the challenges to the agriculture security and called for adaptation tools, diseases mitigation techniques and climate smart agriculture.
IOFS was represented by its Director of Programs and project office, Dr. Ismail AbdelHamid who gave a speech in the opening ceremony started by conveying the greeting message from IOFS Director General H.E.Yerlan A. Baidaulet.
Dr. Abdelhamid presented IOFS strategic programs and willingness to establish cooperation with Member Countries and credible institutions to further implement 16 programs of the food security sector. It is worth mentioning that Centre for Advanced Studies in Agriculture and Food Security of University of Agriculture Faisalabad has advanced laboratories and currently is conducting application of latest biotechnology tools on Strategic commodities, particularly in wheat diseases.