Islamabad (TDI):Â The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in partnership with the Ministry of National Food Security and Research, and the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), inaugurated Pakistan’s first Phytosanitary Capacity Evaluation (PCE) Workshop.
The five-day workshop was organized at the FAO Representation Office, bringing together stakeholders from federal and provincial plant protection departments, to assess the country’s phytosanitary system. FAO Representative in Pakistan, Florence Rolle, emphasized the importance of this initiative and said that the role of plant health cannot be overstated.
“Protecting plant resources is critical to ensuring food security, safeguarding biodiversity, and facilitating safe trade. This PCE process is a powerful tool for identifying gaps and guiding targeted interventions,” she said.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Federal Secretary of the Ministry of National Food Security and Research, Waseem Ajmal Chaudhary, noted that Pakistan continues to face recurrent challenges in meeting the phytosanitary standards required by major trading partners.
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He recognized the workshop as a critical opportunity to fill those gaps and shape phytosanitary system in line with global standards. The PCE process also aligns with broader SPS compliance frameworks, including animal health and food safety systems governed by the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH).
The workshop addressed priority areas including pest diagnostics, pest surveillance, pest risk analysis, and export certification. Outcomes will inform a national strategy to strengthen Pakistan’s SPS framework and unlock its full agricultural trade potential.
Pakistan’s agricultural exports—including rice, citrus fruits, mangoes, vegetables, and seafood—are vital for economic stability and rural livelihoods. Yet, these exports face frequent rejections in key markets due to non-compliance with SPS standards. Gaps in pest surveillance, diagnostics, risk analysis, and legal frameworks continue to restrict agricultural trade.
The workshop was organized under the FAO Technical Cooperation Project “Strengthening Trade through Enhanced Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Measures in Pakistan, Lao PDR, and Viet Nam.”
Sohail Majeed
Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
