100 young Pakistani agricultural professionals head to China for advanced training

A group of 100 young agricultural graduates will depart for China on Sunday under the Prime Minister’s Special Capacity-Building Programme, a key step toward transforming Pakistan’s agriculture sector through international learning and technology transfer. The delegation will receive training at Southwest University of Science and Technology, according to a statement by the Ministry of National Food Security and Research (MNFSR) issued on Saturday.

The training is part of a larger initiative that aims to train 1,000 Pakistani agriculture graduates in top Chinese institutions. The goal is to learn from China’s advanced, climate-smart, and technology-driven farming practices to improve productivity in Pakistan.

A pre-departure ceremony was held today at the MNFSR to bid farewell to the group. Secretary MNFSR Amir Muhyuddin praised the graduates’ enthusiasm and stressed the programme’s importance. “You are the ambassadors of Pakistan’s agricultural future,” he said. “This is a transformational opportunity to gain knowledge and skills to uplift our farming landscape.”

He added that the initiative reflects the prime minister’s vision to enhance the agriculture sector through international exposure and modern practices. He urged trainees to stay focused, maintain discipline, and act as goodwill ambassadors between Pakistan and China.

Additional Secretary Alam Zaib, Deputy Secretary Shafqat Abbas, and other officials briefed the group on the training modules, objectives, and expected outcomes. They assured continued support during the training period.

The programme was launched following the prime minister’s visit to the Yangling Agricultural Technology Demonstration Base in June 2024. As per the PM’s directives from November, MNFSR was tasked with implementing the programme in three batches in collaboration with HEC, MOFA, MoIT, NITB, and Pakistan’s Embassy in Beijing.