ISLAMABAD: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has organised an orientation and pre-departure ceremony for 107 agricultural trainees from Sindh who will travel to China for three months of specialised training under the Prime Minister’s Initiative for Short-Term Training of 1,000 Pakistani Agricultural Professionals.
The trainees will receive training at Northwest A&F University in Xi’an, China, as part of efforts to strengthen agricultural expertise, promote technology transfer and modernise Pakistan’s farming sector.
Ms Wajiha Qamar, Minister of State for Federal Education and Professional Training, attended the ceremony as chief guest. She highlighted the importance of Pakistan-China cooperation in agricultural education, scientific research and technology transfer to improve productivity and strengthen national food security.
HEC Executive Director Prof. Dr Zia Ul Haq said the initiative was helping deepen agricultural cooperation between Pakistan and China. He noted that 885 Pakistani professionals had already completed training at five Chinese institutions under the programme.
He explained that, following the Prime Minister’s directive to preserve Sindh’s allocated quota, a preparatory crash course was organised at Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam. The course enabled 107 eligible candidates to qualify for the specialised training programme.
During the orientation, Dr Shahzad Naveed, CPEC Agriculture Specialist, briefed the participants on travel arrangements, training requirements and other preparations for their stay in China.
Training to cover nine priority areas
The programme covers nine priority areas of agricultural development, including farm mechanisation, crop improvement, artificial intelligence and digital agriculture, livestock, aquaculture, irrigation and food processing.
The training is designed to expose participants to specialised knowledge and modern agricultural practices that can be applied to Pakistan’s farming systems and related industries.
The programme also highlights the role of international academic collaboration in developing professional expertise and strengthening agricultural research and innovation.
For Pakistan, where agriculture is closely linked to livelihoods, rural development and food security, improved farming techniques, efficient irrigation, modern machinery and digital technologies can contribute to more productive and resource-efficient agricultural systems.
The trainees are expected to apply the knowledge and skills acquired in China to support agricultural development after returning to Pakistan.
The initiative forms part of broader efforts to strengthen Pakistan-China cooperation in agricultural education and equip Pakistani professionals with expertise relevant to the sector’s evolving needs.
