• Chairman PARC Dr. Ghulam Muhammad Ali inaugurated climate control glass house at PARC-AZRC Umerkot.
• We need to ensure food security under changing climate and models of climate-smart agriculture. Dr. Attaullah Khan, DG, AZRC.

            Islamabad: (  ) A national level seminar was organized by Arid Zone Research Center Umerkot at PARC-AZRC Umerkot to address the challenges to Biodiversity of the Thar Desert under Climate Change. The seminar was held at PARC-AZRC Umerkot.  Dr. Ghulam Muhammad Ali, Chairman Pakistan Agriculture Research Council was the chief guest Dr. Jan Muhammad Marri, Pro Vice Chancellor of Sindh Agriculture University. Dr. Imtiaz Hussain, Member PSD, Dr. Maqsood A. Gill, Member NRD, Dr. Zakir Hussain Dahri, DG, PARC-SARC Karachi included dignitaries from PARC, research and agriculture extension departments of Sindh, academia, non-governmental organizations, and progressive farming community of Thar desert also attended the seminar.

While addressing to the seminar, Chairman PARC, Dr. Ghulam Muhammad Ali appreciated the scientists of PARC-AZRC Umerkot for doing remarkable work for the development of Catalogue on flora of Thar with medicinal uses and description of separate plant species along with color pictorials and permits to publish the precious work which will be helpful for the diverse local farmers of the country. Dr. Ali also advised to share the germplasm to the NARC and allied institutes at different regions of the country and also acquires research material/germplasm from them in coordination for the adaptability. Chairman PARC also instructed to make exposure visit of the scientists to the research institutes under PARC at different regions of the country as to make strong coordination among them.

Dr. Attaullah Khan, Director of Arid Zone Research Center, Umerkot formally thanked the participants and presented the interventions of organization in conservation of biodiversity, ensuring food security under changing climate and models of climate-smart agriculture. He highlighted the impact of climate change on depletion of rich flora and fauna of Thar Desert and emphasized on the measures to protect nature from damages of changing climate and human activities. At this event, facility of climate control glass house was inaugurated by Chairman PARC Dr. Ghulam Muhammad Ali and dignitaries also witnessed the technical and field progress and appreciated the hard work of PARC-AZRC Umerkot team.