Pakistan has promised major reforms at the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) following a joint study with China, which revealed that chronic under-investment and outdated systems are undermining national food security.
Dawn reported that the assessment, conducted by the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences in collaboration with PARC, found severe weaknesses in laboratory facilities, research commercialization, human resource retention, and coordination between federal and provincial institutions.
The study reviewed the performance of PARC, the National Agricultural Research Center (NARC), and 11 associated institutes.
It recommended a long-term funding structure, modern performance evaluation, and a strong pipeline to transfer research directly to farmers and agri-businesses.
The report called for developing a National Agricultural Science and Technology Roadmap to align research priorities with climate resilience and economic growth.
Speaking at a high-level meeting in Islamabad, Minister for National Food Security Rana Tanveer Hussain said the government would rebuild PARC under its Strategic Reform and Cooperation Plan with China. He said the recommendations would be implemented fully to modernize the organization and ensure that farmers gain from advanced technology and value-added agriculture.
A high-level reforms committee will now oversee execution, set milestones, and enforce accountability in transforming PARC into a science-led institution capable of supporting Pakistan’s food future.
Absolutely! Pakistan appears to be in kind of a slumber where all government officials are believing in enjoying their lives with their children at the expense of the public who pay their taxes. It’s about time that the political governments not only awaken themselves, but the bureaucrats concerned and get them out in the fields. The agricultural and other officials of other departments need to galvanise themselves into modern methods of not only harvesting fields, but in crop plantations otherwise, this country is going to hit a catastrophe and an impending food crisis.