China and Pakistan expand agricultural research cooperation

China and Pakistan are expanding scientific cooperation to address shared agricultural challenges, including soil degradation, environmental pollution, and the need for climate-resilient farming. This partnership involves joint research, academic exchanges, and the application for shared research funding.

Key initiatives include a collaboration between the University of Agriculture Faisalabad and the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS). Several joint research proposals are currently under review by the Pakistan Science Foundation and the Punjab Agriculture Research Board, with one project already shortlisted in China.

Recent developments also include an agreement between Pakistan’s Ayub Agricultural Research Institute and China’s Shaanxi Aerospace Breeding Engineering Technology Center. This partnership focuses on agricultural innovation and aerospace breeding technology, which uses space-flight conditions to trigger genetic mutations in crop seeds to create more resilient varieties. Additionally, a Belt and Road joint laboratory for arid-region agriculture has opened in Shaanxi province to study drought-resistant crops and precision irrigation.