Faisalabad is the 3rd largest city of Pakistan after Karachi and Lahore and formerly known as Lyallpur. It is named as Manchester of Pakistan due to the presence of large industrial zones in Pakistan mainly textile industry activities. Agriculture is a main contributing factor in the GDP of the city. The Chenab River (30 kilometers) and Ravi River (40 kilometers) flow in the southeast of the Faisalabad. The district of Faisalabad is part of the alluvial plains and the thickness of alluvial deposits is typically over a thousand feet. The soil consists of young stratified silt loam or very fine sandy loam which makes the subsoil weak in structure with common kankers at only five feet. The average annual rainfall is about 615 mm with its peak during the monsoon season (July & August months). The average annual temperature is ranged between 17.4 to 31.6. June is the hottest month and where is January is the coldest month. The month of February is not typically hot. The average temperature is about 22 0C and ranged from 7.6 to 30.8.
The winds in Faisalabad are generally light. The city lies in an area with low wind speeds. The city is connected through roads, rails, and air transportation. The M3 interchange connects the M2 and M4 which is an important junction for the city to connect with the north and south of the country. The Faisalabad railway station is the central railway station in the city. International Airport is a major airport for domestic and international travel. Faisalabad is the seat of several World-renowned research and educational institutions including the University of Agriculture Faisalabad, the Government College University, National Textile University, the Government College for Women University, Nuclear Institute of Agriculture and Biology, Nuclear Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, and Ayoub Agriculture Research Institute.
University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) is a premier institution of higher education, research, innovation, and advocacy in agricultural and human sciences located in Faisalabad, Pakistan. It is a top-ranked University of Pakistan with international recognition through QS, NTU, UI Green Metric World Universities, Webometrics, and many more ranking systems. Thus visiting Faisalabad particularly UAF during the 19th International Congress of Soil Science would be a great opportunity to meet the World’s known scientists of Pakistan.
Background of Theme
Soil is a precious and non-renewable resource, and it is foundation for food system. Due to Current farming practices including heavy use of chemical inputs, minimal use of organic manures, cultivation of high yielding varieties and current climate changes, the soils of Pakistan have been degraded, depleted and consequently soil health is badly affected. Soil health is a key to address the global challenges such as high population growth rate, decreases in soil resources and food insecurity to climate change. This has raised serious concerns for food production and has threatened the livelihoods of people. Thus, there is urgent need to address the issues of decline in soil health, food insecurity and changes in climate change. In this context, understanding the properties and processes of soil associated to soil health is essential to achieve the sustainable development goals (SDGs) since some SGDs (end poverty, zero hunger, good health and wellbeing, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy, industry innovation and infrastructure, sustainable cities and communities, responsible consumption and production, climate action, and life on land) cannot be achieved without healthy soils and proper soil management. Thus, to understand the linkage between soil health and sustainable development goals and developing policy guidelines and framework for sustainable food production, changing climate and eradicating hunger, Soil Science Society of Pakistan is organizing 19th International Congress of Soil Science (ICSS-2022) on 15-17, February 2022 at University of Agriculture Faisalabad with the theme” Soil Health and Sustainable Goals”. The ICSS-2022 is expected to gather stakeholders including academia, research, industry and farming community from Pakistan and overseas to share their provoking ideas with the fellow soil and environmental scientists in relation to theme of congress. The organizing committee of the ICSS-2022 is looking forward to see you at Faisalabad.
The Soil Science Society of Pakistan invites you to participate in the Congress. The paper presentation policy will be as under:
Plenary Papers
Four to five invited papers will be presented in plenary session of the Congress. In addition, in each technical session one keynote presentation will also be delivered. The Organizing Committee will request leading scientists of repute to address major areas concerning theme of the Congress.
Voluntary Papers
Soil Science Society of Pakistan invites soil and environmental scientists to submit abstracts for oral or poster presentation. Any number of papers as co-author can be submitted but each author will be allowed to present only one either oral or poster as a presenting author. All participants are required to get themselves registered for the Congress at the time of abstract submission through online abstract submission system available on https://sss-pakistan.org/icss-2022/
All participants are required to be either member of the society or need to register for the Congress as per given schedule; scientists from abroad are exempted from this condition.ongress@sss-pakistan.org
Areas of Presentations
Papers can be presented in disciplines of Agronomy, Soil Chemistry, Soil Physics, Soil Biology & Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Soil Fertility & Plant Nutrition, Soil Conservation, Water Management, Soil Salinity, Soil Drainage, Soil Mineralogy, Soil Environment, Pedology, Soil Morphology, Soil pollution, Soil security, Climate change, Land reclamation and GIS, If your paper does not fit in these subject areas, please indicate its discipline.
Selected Papers presented in the Congress will be published in the Society’s Journal, “Soil & Environment”, after peer review.
Note: For any query regarding the abstract submission or technical program, Please contact to Prof. Dr. Azeem Khalid, Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, PMAS-Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi/Convener Technical Committee on the email: congress@sss-pakistan.org
Best Post Prize
A Committee of Scientists will judge the posters presented in different sessions of the Congress and determine the 1st, 2nd and 3rd best poster. During evaluation, every presenter will be given 5 minutes for brief about his/her poster. Presenter can check poster evaluation proforma from the website https://sss-pakistan.org/icss-2022/, The evaluation criteria will include quality of research, its relevance to Pakistan Agriculture and presentation quality. The evaluation proforma can be downloaded from https://sss-pakistan.org/icss-2022/
Deadlines
January 15, 2022 Last date for receipt of registration and abstract submission as per prescribed procedure and submission of registration fee, from local participants.
January 25, 2022 Last date for receipt of Abstracts from foreign participants.
January 25, 2022 Notification of accepted abstracts
January 30, 2022 Last date for accommodation reservation requests
February 5, 2022 Full length papers in soft copy in MS Word (through e-mail) must reach Convener of Technical Committee and will be published in Society’s Journal “Soil & Environment” after peer review.
Congress Program
The Congress program will be available on the Society’s website (http://www.sss-pakistan.org)
Registration for the Congress is compulsory. Participants are required to submit registration fee along with their abstracts.
Local Participants:
Member: Rs. 2000
Non-member: Rs. 3000
Student member: Rs. 1000
Student non-member: Rs. 1500
Foreign Participants: US$ 150
Note: It was decided that only abstracts of registered participants will be included in Congress Program.
Fee Payment
Please make Bank Draft in the name of “Soil Science Society of Pakistan” payable at National Bank of Pakistan, NIH branch, Islamabad. Congress registration details are available on https://sss-pakistan.org/icss-2022/. Participants are required to submit registration fee to Treasurer SSSP Dr. Muhammad Iqbal, C/O Land Resources Research Institute, National Agriculture Research Centre (NARC), Park Road, Islamabad (Email: treasurer@sss-pakistan.org, Cell/Whatsapp: 03365888159
The fee may also be transferred online using following details:
Account Title: Soil Science Society of Pakistan
Account No.: 4018304351
Bank: NBP, NIH Branch (1654), Islamabad
Personal cheques are not acceptable. Foreign participants can pay at the time of Congress. Registration fee covers Congress materials, tea and lunch during the Congress.
Accommodation Details
Sr. No. | Place | Amount/Rent (Rs/day) with Breakfast | Capacity (room) | ||
Single Bed | Double Bed | VIP Room | |||
1 | Usmania Hotel Canal Road Faisalabad | 2500 | 3500 | – | 26-27 |
2 | Prime View Near Honda Motors Daewoo Road Faisalabad | 2500 | 3500 | – | |
3 | Khayyam Hotel near GOR Faisalabad | – | 3500 | 4500 | 12 (8+4) |
4 | Prime Hotel Near GCU Faisalabad | – | 3600 | 4200 (3bed) | 30-40 |
Students | |||||
7 | UAF-Hostels at Main Campus (Common Room) | – | – | – | 50 |
8 | PBI-Hostel at PARS_UAF | – | – | – | 150 |
9 | House No. 1 Main Road -UAF | – | – | – | 40 |
Please contact to: Dr. Muhammad Anwar-ul-Haq, Convener Accommodation Committee/ Officer Incharge, Saline Agriculture Research Centre/ Associate Professor, Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Email: haqgondal@gmail.com ; haq.gondal@uaf.edu.pk, Phone : 041-9200161-9(2910) , Cell : 0300-7649027
Accommodation requirements must be communicated to Dr. Hafiz Anwar ul Haq, Convener, Accommodation Committee on the given proforma available on the society websitehttps://sss-pakistan.org/icss-2022/. A limited number of rooms in different institutions’ rest houses/hostels can be reserved on first come first served basis at Faisalabad. Rooms in hotels can be arranged in Faisalabad, if requested. The details of hotel charges and other accommodation facilities are available on website: https://sss-pakistan.org/icss-2022/
Post-Congress Tour
A one-day tour of Faislabad would be arranged on February 18, 2020, provided reasonable numbers of participants are interested. However, participants of ICSS-2022 will be facilitated for Faisalabad city tour. For information, please contact to Dr. Muhammad Javed Akhtar, Convener Post Congress Tour Committee
Faisalabad city is well-connected by rail, road and air transporation. The city has well established Faisalabad Urban Transport System Service (FUTS) for intercity transport.
By Road: The M3 interchange connecting the M2 and M4 is an important junction for the city to connect the north and south of the country. Majority of bus services including Daewoo, Faisal Movers, Kohistan, etc run to and from Faisalabad.
By Train: The Faisalabad railway station is the main station of the city. which is connected to different railway stations, Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Quetta, Rohri, Khanewal and Hyderabad. For details please visit website www.pakrail.gov.pk
By Air: Faisalabad International Airport is located on the outskirts of the city and approximately 14 kilometers away from the University of Agriculture Faisalabad. Pakistan International Airlines, Serene Air, Flydubai, Qatar Airways, Air Arabia and Gulf Air Flights are being operated to and from Faisalabad International Airport. Foreign participants can consider to nearest airports including Allama Iqbal International Airport, Lahore and Islamabad International Airport, Islamabad. The Organizing Committee of the ICSS-2022 may facilitate to and from these airports.
Foriegn Participents
Scientists coming from abroad are requested to inform in advance about the date and time of arrival, the carrier and flight. Transport from Faisalabad International Airport can be arranged. Every foreign participant should make arrangement for receiving Pakistani visa by contacting the Pakistani Embassies and consulates located in their home countries. However, organizers can provide formal invitation letter after their confirmation and abstract submission if they require. In this regard, please write to to Dr. Ghulam Murtaza Jamro, congress secretary/ general secretary of Soil Science Society of Pakistan on his email: general.secretary@sss-pakistan.org/ gmjamro@gmail.com. The invitation from the Society is meant to facilitate the grant of visa and does not imply to bear the responsibility of sponsoring the trip to Pakistan
Congress President
Prof. Dr. Zahir Ahmad Zahir, Director ORIC
University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan
E-mail: zazahir@uaf.edu.pk; Tel: ++92 41 9200997, +92 41 9200183, Cell +92-3007665149
Congress Secretary
Dr. Ghulam Murtaza Jamro
Department of Soil Science, Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam, Hyderabad, Sindh, Pakistan
E-mail: gmjamro@gmail.com; Tel: + 92 222765870 Ext. 355, Cell: +92- 3070364559
Advisory Committee
Organizing Committee
For Further Information
CONGRESS SECRETARIAT
SOIL SCIENCE SOCIETY OF PAKISTAN
C/O Land Resources Research Institute
National Agricultural Research Center, Islamabad
Tel# +92-3070364559, +92-3335561232, +92-3066074833, +92-3007665149
For Information
Website: http:// www.sss-pakistan.org
Email: info@sss-pakistan.org