Agriculture sector facing threats due to climate change, says expert

HYDERABAD: Dr. Altaf Ali Siyal, water expert and Dean of Faculty of Agricultural Engineering of Sindh Agriculture University has said that the Agriculture sector of Sindh Province is facing various threats and concerns due to climate change, after the adverse effects of floods, experts will have to change the land restoration, water, environment, and cultivation practices through their research.

He said while addressing the PhD seminar titled “Effects of tillage practices and organic fertilizers on soil properties, growth and yield of wheat and maize crop,” of Manzoor Ali Magsi, Scholar of Department of Farm Power and Machinery, at university senate hall.

Dr. Altaf Siyal said that according to Soil properties, better production can be achieved by proper use of land preparation, water and farmyard organic fertilizers in agriculture, while the traditional agricultural methods of farming for the last 75 years have failed to achieve significant results. He said that modern methods of land preparation, fertilizer, and water use have better effects on crop production, so after the recent floods in Sindh, the land conditions, crop selection and cultivation should be considered.

PhD scholar Manzoor Ali Magsi said that better results were obtained with ridge cultivation, use of organic fertilizers and correct use of water. He said that he has proved during his research that the use of organic fertilizers in land preparation and cultivation and Shallow plowing for wheat and deep plowing for maize and the use of natural manure from the farm can get better results by preparing the land, which will improve the health of the land, water and environment will also be better, he said organic amendments will improve soil strength and chemical properties, which guarantee better production.