Lahore (Web Desk): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday called for stronger and more active agricultural research institutions, directing authorities to align research work with global standards to accelerate the development of Pakistan’s agriculture sector.
He chaired a meeting to assess ongoing reforms in agriculture and review the implementation of government initiatives designed to raise farm productivity and provide greater support to farmers.
The prime minister said helping small and medium-sized farmers improve their per-acre output remained a major government priority. He instructed certified seed companies to ensure farmers receive high-quality seeds.
He also directed the authorities to develop a comprehensive national mechanism for assessing and forecasting crop production after consultation with all relevant stakeholders.
PM Shehbaz emphasised that small and medium farmers must be able to take full advantage of reforms aimed at bringing innovation and modern practices into agriculture.
He further ordered officials to make effective use of the expertise and experience of students who returned last year after completing agricultural training in China.
The premier stressed that merit and transparency must be strictly followed while selecting students for this year’s agricultural training programme in China.
PM Shehbaz approved proposed reforms for the National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC) and instructed officials to complete them at the earliest. He also called for making both NARC and the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council more efficient and ensuring that their operations meet international standards.
During the meeting, the Ministry of National Food Security and Research presented an update on agricultural reforms and briefed participants about wheat requirements, the area under cultivation and projected output of the upcoming crop.
Officials said work on priority initiatives under the Agriculture Innovation and Growth Plan 2026-27 had been expedited. The plan is aimed at improving farmers’ access to finance, expanding the availability of farm machinery, introducing modern technology and digital solutions, strengthening research and skills development, and improving food security.
Among the major initiatives included in the plan are Kisan Ghar refinance, crop insurance, financing through electronic warehouse receipts, financing facilities for agricultural machinery and the Prime Minister’s National District Development Programme.
The meeting was also told that modern technology and artificial intelligence were being given greater importance in the agriculture sector. Work is progressing on the Pakistan Tobacco Board Automation Project, a crop-monitoring and assessment initiative being carried out through SUPARCO, and an AI-powered application designed to identify plants and pests. A number of short-term projects have already moved into the implementation stage.
Officials also briefed the meeting on efforts to expand organic farming with the objective of increasing exports and improving rural earnings.
Selected agricultural clusters in Balochistan, including cotton and date-producing areas, are being developed as pilot zones for organic farming. Work is also under way on a national organic agriculture policy and standards, group-based certification and a digital system for tracing agricultural products.
The government is simultaneously working to connect agricultural research, certification, storage and processing with access to international markets. The initiative is intended to strengthen the value chains of domestic agricultural products, enhance their export prospects and ultimately raise farmers’ incomes.
Regarding the proposed master plan for NARC, the meeting was informed that the research centre would be reorganised into seven districts in accordance with international requirements.
The plan includes five centres of excellence, reference laboratories, a biorepository and new research facilities. It also proposes a research park for private-sector participation, a centre dedicated to international cooperation, a living laboratory and a public discovery park.
PM Shehbaz gave his approval to the NARC master plan and directed the relevant authorities to ensure its implementation is completed as soon as possible.
Federal Ministers Ahsan Khan Cheema, Azam Nazeer Tarar and Rana Tanveer Hussain, along with Prime Minister’s Coordinator for Agriculture Ahmed Umair, attended the meeting.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Prime Minister’s Adviser Muhammad Ali, Minister of State Bilal Azhar Kayani, Special Assistant Tariq Bajwa and senior officials from the relevant departments joined the meeting through video link.