by Misbah Saba Malik
ISLAMABAD, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Muhammad Tanveer Zahid, an agricultural entomologist from the southern Rajanpur district of Pakistan's east Punjab province, is pinning high hopes on a three-month training course in China, where he is learning advanced seed production and processing technologies to help improve the financial condition of farmers in his village, including his own family.
"I am learning about seed production and processing technology as per-acre yield of various crops, especially cotton, which once produced bumper harvests, is now underperforming due to pest attacks and climate change, so I am eager to learn about better seed options and methods to plant them for better yield," Zahid told Xinhua.
The expert added that farmers in his area have been struggling season after season, facing financial losses as locally available seed varieties and outdated farming methods fail to meet modern agricultural challenges.
"I applied for the training program in China to equip myself with new knowledge and techniques, so I can help the farmers of my district overcome these hardships," he said.
Zahid is one of 300 Pakistani trainees sent to China under a government initiative launched by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, aimed at strengthening the country's agriculture and livestock sectors. After returning home, the trainees are expected to pass on their knowledge to local government officials and farmers, helping to introduce modern techniques and Chinese-style solutions to Pakistan's farming practices.
The training program is structured to send 1,000 agriculture experts to China to focus on areas such as irrigation improvement, livestock disease diagnosis and monitoring, livestock breeding, modern genetics, and seed preparation and processing, in three batches, Sharif said while addressing the sending off ceremony of the first batch in Islamabad last week.
He also expressed gratitude to the Chinese government and universities for their cooperation, describing the training initiative as a vital step in modernizing Pakistan's agriculture sector and addressing food security challenges.
Currently training at Northwest University in Xi'an, the capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Zahid commended the university's advanced facilities and the dedication of Chinese instructors. "The teachers are doing their best to transfer knowledge, even with the language barrier. The environment here is incredibly supportive," he said.
In Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province, Nazeer Ahmad Bandija is pursuing similar goals. A lecturer at Lasbela University of Agriculture, Water & Marine Sciences, Bandija is focused on livestock development, an area central to the province's economy.
"Nearly every household in our villages owns livestock, but due to poor feeding and lack of modern practices, milk and meat production remains low," Bandija told Xinhua, adding that many farmers can't afford proper feed, and their animals graze on barren land. "I'm here to learn affordable solutions that suit our local context."
The collaboration between China and Pakistan under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has already led to several Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) between Chinese and Pakistani universities, including institutions in Balochistan's Gwadar region, he said, suggesting that further cooperation could be established by including Lasbela University in future partnerships.
"Our university is the only institution in the province that specializes in livestock. I hope Chinese universities will consider signing MoUs with us as well. It would be a meaningful step to empower the people of Balochistan through technical cooperation and capacity-building under CPEC," Bandija added.
He expressed optimism that with Chinese support, the livestock sector in Balochistan could be modernized, contributing to greater food security, economic stability, and rural development in the region.
From the country's northwest, Nadia, a PhD scholar in agronomy, is also in China to explore modern farming techniques with a focus on empowering women farmers in her province.
"There are countless hardworking women in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa who depend on traditional farming. I want to help them adopt more efficient and sustainable practices," Nadia told Xinhua.
"China's agricultural advancement has far exceeded my expectations. This exposure will allow me to bring meaningful change," she added.
She emphasized that women's involvement is key to strengthening food security and boosting agricultural productivity at the grassroots level. "By sharing what I've learned here, I hope to uplift rural women and their families," she added.
All three professionals believe that by combining China's experience with local needs, they can help modernize agriculture in Pakistan and contribute to long-term food security, economic resilience, and rural development.
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