• China Supports Pakistan to Accelerate Agriculture Development

• Renmin University delegation visits Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University for foster agriculture cooperation

• Bilateral talks between representatives of Renmin University and Arid Agriculture University focused on advancing bilateral cooperation in scientific and technological research areas, foster cooperation in agricultural research and reforming the agriculture sector of Pakistan.

• The Chinese delegations’ visit aligns with Pakistan Prime Minister’s Initiative for Short-Term Training of 1,000 Agricultural Graduates in China which aims to enhance the skills of young professionals in nine priority areas of modern agriculture

By: Muhammad Arif, Editor NSN.Asia

Islamabad: In pursuance of Pakistan Prime Minister’s Initiative for Training of 1,000 Agricultural Graduates in China, academic delegation of School of Agriculture Economics and Rural Development Renmin University of China, a leading university of China, has held meetings with the representatives of Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi here on Tuesday to foster cooperation in agricultural research and reforming the agriculture sector of Pakistan.

The meeting was organized by the Center for Democracy and Climate Studies, an Islamabad-based think-tank, promoting development cooperation between Pakistan and the world.

The meetings held in cordial atmosphere focused on the advancing bilateral cooperation in scientific and technological research areas, as well as booting business activities to the benefit of the respective academia and industries.

The officials after the meeting stated that exchange of academics and research professionals aims to promote win-win development in a highly efficient and sustainable way in areas agriculture.

​“Visits and exchanges of scientists, research scholars and other experts for the purpose of trainings, consultation and exchange of expertise on general or specific subjects”, stated the focal person leading the Chinese delegation while talking to NSN ASIA.

Pakistan, being an agriculture country, looks towards China for modernization of agriculture. Government has sent the first batch of 300 bright young Pakistani agriculture scientists and experts to China for hands on training in modern agricultural practices and technology applications.

Pakistan Prime Minister’s Initiative for Short-Term Training of 1,000 Agricultural Graduates in China aims to enhance the skills of young professionals in nine priority areas of modern agriculture through three- and six-month training programs at leading Chinese institutions.

The Initiative is a joint effort of MNFSR, HEC, Pakistan Embassy in Beijing, MOFA, and NITB. The training will be conducted at Northwest Agriculture & Forestry University and Yangling Vocational & Technical College, Shaanxi Province, China.

Federal Minister for National Food Security & Research, Rana Tanveer Hussain, chaired a high-level meeting to review progress on Prime Minister’s Initiative emphasized the need to speed up the dispatch process and ensure maximum facilitation for students. The ministry is actively coordinating with Chinese authorities, stakeholders, and financial institutions to streamline logistical arrangements.

The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) has approved Rs. 3,072.056 million for this program, with funds being released in batches through HEC. The government has ensured merit-based selection, with 10% additional quota for students from Balochistan.

Pakistan-China collaboration in agricultural education and training will equip young agricultural professionals with modern knowledge in mechanization, biotechnology, AI, irrigation systems, and value chain development, strengthening Pakistan’s agriculture sector for future growth, according to government sources.

For over half a century, the Department of Agricultural Economics at Renmin University of China has thrived amidst challenges, leveraging the university’s top-tier social science research environment to create a legacy of excellence in China’s rural reform and development. The establishment of the School of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development has provided us with an even broader platform for academic and research pursuits. We are confident and capable of making greater contributions to the rise of China’s agricultural and rural economy in the new century, as well as to the comprehensive development and advancement of both China’s and the world’s economies.

Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi is established with the mandate to produce high-quality agricultural scientists and to form an organized scientific infrastructure for teaching and research for the development of dryland regions of the country, thus minimizing the income gap between the rich and poor and irrigated & arid areas. The university recommends measures for the development of rainfed agriculture and uplift of the poor masses through education, research, and development of technology and manpower.