Alvi for inter-provincial teamwork to beat water, food crises

KARACHI: Pakistan President Dr Arif Alvi has called for strengthening inter-provincial coordination to mitigate the water crisis and food insecurity in the country, as well as for provincial consensus on implementing the water policy to meet the growing demands of food, water and energy.He made these remarks while addressing the audience at the 4th Karachi International Water Conference (KIWC), which was organised by the Hisaar Foundation on Tuesday. The theme of the event was ‘Water-Energy-Food Nexus: Pakistan’s Agenda for the 21st Century’.Being a staunch advocate of water security in Pakistan, Dr Alvi appreciated the selection of the theme for the conference.Expressing his concerns on the implications of global warming, the president said that a network of partnerships on water and food security involving the private sector, the government, the civil society, the media and the people of the country is the need of the hour.“We live in a time in which our children are rightfully holding us accountable for our mistakes, for failing to take care of the environment. They expect us to protect the natural resources and leave them a legacy on which to build a water- and food-sufficient society”, he added.The president congratulated the Hisaar Foundation for arranging the biennial conference and thanked all the international delegates and experts for their informative discourse on food and water security.He advised the organisers to invite the agriculture and water ministers of the four provinces as well as the federal ministers in the next conference to encourage the government’s ownership of the agenda. “These ministries can take a leading role in devising solid strategies to avoid the risks of drought- and flood-like disasters in the country.”The KIWC takes place in the metropolitan city every two years. Over the past six years the conference has attained a position of prominence as a major water event in the region.From its launch in 2013 to the 3rd KIWF, the event has been attended by more than 1,200 delegates from Pakistan, South Asia, Middle East, Europe and North America. From local organisations to multinationals, prominent personalities in the water sector have attended the previous conferences. National and international speakers believe that the profile of the fourth conference will further rise with greater involvement of governments as well as practitioners from the energy, renewable energy, agriculture, food and nutrition sectors.

from The News International - National https://ift.tt/2KWvK7n