World Food Day 2009

While talking in PTV(Pakistan Television) News Date Line program on 16th October 2009,Dr.Pirzada said that 1.02 billion pepole- 1/6th of mankind suffer from hunger & manutrition today.Majority of the hungry people are in Asia and Pacific which hosts one half of humanity and 2/3rd of hungry people.

About 907 million hungry people live in the developing countries, and number of hungry people have increased from 35 to 45 million post global food crises of 2007-08 alone in Pakistan. The global l economic slow down, climate change,crop failures and biofuels development have affected food avaiability.

He underlined that food security in Pakistan inter alia is threatened by climate change induced decline in crop yield,as yields in Asia may decline by 21 percent and in Pakistan up to 6 percent.With mounting population pressure,potential risk of decline in food out put can only be averted with political will to make rural Pakistan a hub of economic activities by investing in agricultural R&D,climate change adaptation & mitigation, and transforming small farm business in to SMEs and then mainsteaming them as Agribusiness clusters,Dr.Pirzada opined.

World Animal Day 2009

on 4th October hosting a talk in the current affais session of the Pakistan televisionon World Animal Day Dr.Pirzada said that human beings and animals are tenents-in- commomn on this planet.He underlined the role animal world plays towards ecobalance,biodiversity,livelihood, food security, rural economics, human pleasure & sustenance and as companions.

He talked about the challenges like animal welfare,conservation of species at the verge of extinction, climate change related adaptation & mitigation, risks of transboundry diseases etc and urged a collective action to protect,develpoe and help sustain animal life.