Arooj Zulfiqar

Pest attacks cause significant damage to crops, leading to reduced yields and lower income. However, this problem can be solved with biological control. Muhammad Bilal Ashraf Khan, Scientific Officer at the National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC), said this while talking to WealthPK. “In the face of escalating challenges posed by pests, Pakistan can adopt China's cutting-edge technology in biological pest control. As an agriculture-dependent economy, Pakistan is grappling with the dual threat of climate change-induced pest proliferation and the unintended consequences of excessive pesticide use. This predicament not only jeopardizes the nation's agricultural output but also escalates the costs associated with plant protection,” Bilal said. “Widespread cultivation of crops without systematic and scientific control methods has compounded this issue. Additionally, indiscriminate use of pesticides has given rise to pesticide-resistant pests, setting off a harmful cycle that further escalates the expenses associated with pest management.

“Pakistan lacks robust pest monitoring and forecasting systems. As a result, the country remains heavily reliant on the application of pesticides for prevention and control,” he continued. Statistics reveal a staggering increase in Pakistan's annual pesticide consumption, surging from 50,000 tons per year in 2001 to 200,000 tons per year in 2020 over the past two decades. “In order to substantially reduce our dependence on chemical pesticides, China's extensive experience and knowledge in biological pest control must be leveraged,” he suggested. “China has developed an innovative approach to pest control that involves using a remote sensing dynamic prediction model. This model integrates data from various monitoring sources of different scales, which allows for the mapping of prevalence of pests and diseases, as well as tracking their migratory patterns. By utilizing the remote sensing technology, China has been able to accurately predict and identify pest and disease outbreaks, enabling timely and targeted responses,” he added.

Bilal said Pakistan could greatly benefit from adopting a similar approach that combines technology, data, and scientific expertise to tackle its pest-related challenges. By investing in the establishment of advanced monitoring and predictive systems, Pakistan can potentially reduce its dependence on chemical pesticides, mitigate the risks posed by climate change-induced pest proliferation, and secure its agricultural future.In this regard, a China-Pak crop pest management seminar was held in Chengdu. It was aimed at strengthening mutual learning and cooperation between China and Pakistan in the fields of crop pest management technology, prevention and control measures and management standards. The seminar on “Methods and Standards of Crop Pest Management in China and Pakistan” was organized by the International Standardization Talent Training Base (Chengdu).

Credit: INP-WealthPk