Speakers stress promotion of agricultural research programmes

HYDERABAD: Agricultural research support programmes should be promoted to achieve beneficial results of development, said speakers at the first two-day International Humanitarian Technology Conference 2024 that opened on Monday.

National and international experts pointed out that revolutionary changes have taken place in the world with technology, and that without artificial intelligence and humanitarian technology, progress in society would be impossible.

The conference is being held under the auspices of the Information Technology Centre (ITC) of the Sindh Agriculture University (SAU), Tandojam, in collaboration with the Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Karachi Section.

SAU Vice Chancellor Dr Fateh Marri said technology has facilitated agriculture among other sectors, including land levelling for crops, farming, weather, water systems, livestock breeding, marketing and GIS system.

Dr Marri said that there is scope for private sector investment of Rs400 billion in agriculture, which would enhance research, and five per cent increase in the annual production per acre would significantly increase the country’s GDP, possibly reducing poverty and unemployment by 50 per cent.

Sindh Higher Education Commission (SHEC) Karachi Chairman Dr SM Tariq Rafi said the SHEC is supporting universities, faculties and students through research support programmes, and grants are also given in this regard.

Dr Rafi said that in the field of production and research, Pakistan is lagging behind developed countries in terms of results, but local institutions are also making satisfactory achievements, while students are being supported in their ideas and startups.

IEEE Karachi Section Chair Prof Dr Bhawani Shankar Chowdhry said the IEEE is a professional forum working for the development of technology, and supporting the expansion of technologies such as the agri-tech industry, AI, big data and industry 4.0.

Prof Dr Asadullah Shah of the International Islamic University Malaysia said technology has gained importance in human life with achievements and innovations, while OpenAI’s ChatGPT has revolutionised human society in terms of language and translation, and its capability of answering many questions. SAU Faculty of Agricultural Social Sciences Dean Dr Aijaz Ali Khooharo, ITC Director Dr Mir Sajjad Talpur and Dr Muhammad Yaqoob Koondhar also spoke on the occasion.