GUJRAT: World-renowned environmental researcher and philanthropist Dr Abdul Rashid Gatrad has said that humans have failed to fulfil their responsibility as custodians of the Earth, linking their survival and sustainability with maintaining a balance in the ecosystem.
Dr Gatrad, who was attending a seminar on “Impact of Climate Change on Food Security” as a guest speaker at Hafiz Hayat Campus of the University of Gujrat on Wednesday, provided comprehensive insights into the urgent measures needed for food production and security to counter the rapidly deteriorating environmental and climatic conditions on our planet.
Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Muhammad Mushahid Anwar presided over the seminar, organized by the Department of Geography, with Dr Saira Manzoor coordinating. Among the distinguished guests were Dr Ijaz Bashir, Chairperson of the Cleft Welfare Association of Gujrat, heads and chairpersons of various UoG departments and faculty members. A large number of enthusiastic students also participated.
Highlighting the environmental changes adversely affecting the quality and quantity of food, Dr Gatrad said, “Humans, as custodians of the Earth, were failing to fulfil their responsibilities adequately.” He stated that maintaining the balance of the ecosystem was vital for human survival and sustainability.
Dr Gatrad pointed out that the global population boom, coupled with an extremely inadequate system of food distribution, was contributing to food shortages despite sufficient reserves worldwide. He recommended the ‘Green Revolution’ as a remedy for the ill-effects of climate change caused by global warming, along with the promotion of large-scale tree planting and forest restoration as significant measures to combat environmental changes.
Stating that food security was a shared responsibility, Dr Mushahid Anwar maintained that training individuals would significantly help protect humanity from deadly diseases and widespread destruction. “The excessive use of luxuries by humans was having the worst effects on the climate, posing a threat to human life,” Dr Mushahid said, adding that climate change was essentially an environmental shift, as weather patterns were changing worldwide.
Earlier, Dr Saira Manzoor introduced Dr Abdul Rashid Gatrad and elaborated on the seminar’s topic. She expressed hope that students and faculty, utilizing their research and innovative efforts, would greatly contribute to serving humanity.
