Another 100 Pakistani agri graduates complete capacity-building programme in China

BEIJING: One hundred Pakistani agriculture graduates have completed a six-month specialised training programme in crop breeding and genomics in China under Batch II of the Prime Minister’s Initiative for Capacity Building of 1,000 Agricultural Graduates.

A certificate-awarding ceremony was held at the Southwest University of Science and Technology in Mianyang, located in China’s Sichuan Province, marking the formal conclusion of the programme, according to Gwadar Pro.

The graduates arrived in China in July 2025 as part of the second batch of the government-backed initiative, which aims to enhance Pakistan’s agricultural research, innovation, and productivity through advanced international training.

Officials said the programme focused on modern crop improvement methods and climate-resilient farming techniques to help address food security challenges in Pakistan.

During the six-month course, participants received hands-on training in precision agriculture, use of advanced sensors, genome-editing technologies including CRISPR-Cas9, molecular breeding, smart agriculture systems, automation, and applications of big data and artificial intelligence in crop development.

Speaking at the ceremony, Pakistan’s Ambassador to China Khalil Hashmi congratulated the graduates and acknowledged the role of the host university in delivering the programme. He urged the participants to apply their newly acquired skills to improve agricultural productivity and innovation upon returning to Pakistan.

The ambassador highlighted agriculture as a critical pillar of Pakistan’s economy and stressed the importance of closer collaboration between Pakistan and China to strengthen food security through shared expertise and technology.

One of the graduates, Muhammad Hamid Khan, described the training as a valuable professional experience, saying it enhanced his technical knowledge and motivated him to contribute more effectively to Pakistan’s agricultural sector.

The Prime Minister’s Initiative for Capacity Building of 1,000 Agricultural Graduates is being implemented in multiple phases across several Chinese universities. While Batch II completed its training at the Southwest University of Science and Technology, other batches are undergoing or have completed similar programmes in different regions of China.

The initiative is jointly implemented by the Ministry of National Food Security and Research, the Higher Education Commission, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Pakistan’s Embassy in Beijing, in collaboration with Chinese partner institutions, with the aim of modernising Pakistan’s agriculture sector through skills development and technology transfer.