Zain-ul-Abideen Abid
Multan : Chairman of SM Group of Industries, Chaudhry Zulfiqar Ali Anjum, while speaking to the media, stated that the time has come to move beyond relying solely on wheat to meet our food requirements and to pay greater attention to other food crops as well. According to him, maize, rice, sorghum, pearl millet, oats, barley, rye, and many other food grains are not only beneficial for human health but can also play a significant role in ensuring food security and agricultural stability.
He explained that alternative crops refer to food crops that can be cultivated and utilized as substitutes for traditional and widely grown crops. These include small grains, newly developed cereal varieties, and food plants that may not be true cereals from a botanical perspective but are nutritionally and functionally used in the same way as grains. One of the major advantages of these crops is that they can be successfully cultivated in regions where soil conditions, rainfall patterns, or climatic factors are not suitable for conventional crops.
According to Chaudhry Zulfiqar Ali Anjum, challenges such as rapid population growth, climate change, water scarcity, and declining soil fertility require the agricultural sector to adopt new approaches. Alternative crops have the ability to produce satisfactory yields with less water, making them particularly valuable for arid and semi-arid regions. Furthermore, these crops generally require lower amounts of chemical fertilizers and harmful pesticides, thereby reducing their negative environmental impact.
He noted that a significant portion of the world’s food supply is based on cereals. More than half of the daily dietary energy consumed by humans comes from various grains. Wheat, rice, and maize are considered the primary cereals, while barley, millet, sorghum, oats, and rye have also remained important components of human diets for centuries. Barley originated in Asia, millet and sorghum in Africa, while oats and rye are associated with Europe. These crops have long formed the foundation of food traditions and agricultural economies across different societies.
He further stated that agricultural research during the last century played an extraordinary role in increasing crop productivity. The development of improved varieties, modern irrigation systems, the use of fertilizers, and effective crop protection measures significantly boosted food production. During this period, agricultural scientists introduced improved crop varieties that helped many countries overcome food shortages. These innovations revolutionized agricultural production and ensured food supplies for millions of people.
Chaudhry Zulfiqar Ali Anjum emphasized that promoting dietary and agricultural diversity is an urgent need in an agricultural country like Pakistan. If farmers diversify beyond one or two major crops and adopt alternative grains, they can not only increase their incomes but also improve soil health, optimize water use, and strengthen food security. He said that sorghum, millet, rye, oats, and other alternative grains could become reliable food sources in the future, capable of maintaining stable production despite changing climatic conditions.
He added that the importance of alternative crops extends beyond agricultural productivity and is closely linked to human health. These grains are rich in dietary fiber, minerals, natural energy, and essential nutrients required for physical growth and development. To promote balanced nutrition and combat malnutrition, their consumption should be encouraged throughout society.
Chaudhry Zulfiqar Ali Anjum stressed that ensuring food security, agricultural resilience, and environmental protection requires joint efforts by governments, agricultural experts, research institutions, and farmers. Practical measures should be taken to support the research, promotion, and cultivation of alternative crops so that future generations can benefit from safe, diverse, and sustainable food sources.
In conclusion, Chairman SM Group of Industries Chaudhry Zulfiqar Ali Anjum highlighted triticale, an important achievement of modern agricultural research. He explained that triticale is a unique crop developed through the hybridization of wheat and rye and has considerable potential to contribute to food security, livestock feed requirements, and adaptation to climate change. He noted that the crop can produce satisfactory yields under low-water conditions, in rain-fed areas, and on less fertile soils. Nutritionally, it is rich in protein, lysine, dietary fiber, and essential minerals.
Worldwide, the use of triticale is expanding rapidly, particularly as feed for livestock and poultry, while various food products are also being produced from its flour. He pointed out that the crop is widely cultivated in countries such as Poland, Germany, and France, and encouraging results have also emerged from research centers and rain-fed regions of Pakistan. According to him, in the context of population growth, water scarcity, and climate change, triticale has the potential to become a promising crop for Pakistan, contributing significantly to food security, improved livestock nutrition, and the stability of the rural economy.
