Pakistan hopes for ‘agricultural revolution’ after training of 1,000 local experts in China

Pakistan’s Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal chairs a review meeting with regard to training of Pakistani experts in China, at the Ministry of Planning and Development in Islamabad on September 4, 2024. (Photo courtesy: X/@PlanComPakistan)

• Agriculture is the largest sector in Pakistan, contributing about 24 percent of the GDP and accounting for half of the employed labor force
• In June, PM Shehbaz Sharif said he was looking forward to exploring new avenues to benefit from China’s agricultural prowess, ‘modernization’

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal on Wednesday expressed his hopes for an “agricultural revolution” in the country following the training of 1,000 local experts in China, Pakistani state media reported.
The statement came during a meeting presided over by Iqbal with regard to training of these experts in China as part of collaboration between the two friendly countries, the state-run APP news agency. The report did not mention a timeline of the training program.
Agriculture is the backbone of Pakistan’s economy and constitutes its largest sector. According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), agriculture contributes about 24 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and accounts for half of the employed labor force in the country.
During the meeting, Iqbal said Pakistan is sending its agricultural experts to China to get training and transform the sector on modern lines, adding that Pakistan has the best resources and minds but needed to acquaint its experts with modern technology and techniques to boost production.
“Developing agriculture on modern lines is the need of the hour,” he was quoted as saying. “Promoting research and education in this sector is among the top priorities of the government.”
The meeting was attended by National Food Security Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain and other senior officials, according to the report.
Tanveer reaffirmed the government’s commitment to developing the agricultural sector and adopting latest agricultural methodologies to achieve bumper crops and to change old harvesting methods.
Pakistan, which has been faced with an economic crisis, is currently looking to boost its agricultural production and exports to earn precious foreign exchange to support its economy.
In June this year, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had said that he was looking forward to exploring new avenues to benefit from China’s agricultural prowess and “modernization.” The statement came after the premier arrived in the Chinese city of Xi’an in the third leg of his five-day visit to China
“Looking forward to learning about China’s agricultural modernization and innovation from the world class facilities of this great city,” the prime minister said on X, after landing in Xi’an.
“Keen to explore new avenues of cooperation and further deepen our linkages in agriculture to enhance Pakistan’s food productivity and quality.”