Islamabad (TDI): Nearly 300 Pakistani agriculture graduates have completed hands-on training in China’s Shaanxi province, marking a major step in strengthening agri-sector ties between the two countries and boosting Pakistan’s agriculture sector.
The announcement was made by the Prime Minister Shehabaz Sharif via his account on X. The PM expressed his satisfaction over the achievement and extended gratitude to the Chinese leadership, the Shaanxi provincial government, and the participating universities.
The training covered a variety of key agricultural disciplines including water-saving irrigation, animal husbandry, crop production, seed production, and methods to reduce post-harvest losses. These areas were chosen on the basis of Pakistan’s long-standing challenges in agricultural productivity and sustainability.
This group of students represents the first cohort under a broader initiative to train 1000 Pakistani graduates in China. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had announced this initiative during his June 2024 visit to China, aimed at advancing agricultural cooperation primarily under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
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Also, the Prime Minister acknowledged the contributions of the Ministry of National Food Security, the Higher Education Commission (HEC), and the Pakistani Embassy in China in ensuring the smooth implementation of the program.
The training initiative supports Pakistan’s broader efforts to enhance food security and reduce dependence on agricultural items. Shaanxi province was selected as the training site due to its expertise in sustainable agriculture and advancement in research. Moreover, both countries expect to deepen cooperation as additional cohorts begin training in the coming months.
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The remaining 700 graduates, as part of the initiative, will undergo training in successive phases over the next year.
These developments reflect a growing emphasis on people-to-people exchanges and capacity building between Pakistan and China, with the agriculture sector as a focus area in their strategic partnership.
