A few days ago, I reached out to a friend working in the Punjab Seed Corporation, only to find his communication unexpectedly disrupted. When contact was reestablished, he explained that he was currently in China undergoing specialized training in hybrid seed development.

I appreciated the update and casually inquired about food arrangements—he noted that this was proving difficult since meals were pre-arranged by the host institution and cooking independently wasn’t allowed. While that was just a side conversation, it inadvertently brought home the scope and seriousness of the training programme underway.

This initiative is part of the Prime Minister’s Special Capacity-Building Programme, a forward-looking effort aimed at reshaping Pakistan’s agricultural sector by sending 1,000 agricultural graduates and officials to China for advanced training. Reportedly, the first batch is returned back after completing the respective endeavour.

The programme is required to be designed not only to expose Pakistan’s future agri leaders to modern technologies but also to equip them with critical skills in climate-smart agriculture, digital innovation, seed technology, but also including SPS measures like Plant / Animal Quarantine with food safety, which are important segments of international trade standards.

Trainings are taking place at some of China’s top agricultural institutions, which are recognised globally for their advances in precision agriculture, resource-efficient farming, seed technology, and regulatory integration. While Pakistan and........

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