By Azam Tariq

Pakistan can modernise its agriculture sector by adapting China's smart farming model, which combines digital technologies, mechanisation and data-driven planning, as it prepares a comprehensive National Agriculture Policy, experts say.
The policy initiative has gained momentum after the government directed the early formulation of a comprehensive national agriculture policy in consultation with the provinces. It also called for a monthly Agriculture Apex Forum and highlighted priorities including affordable agricultural credit, research, improved seeds, modern storage, value addition and an artificial intelligence (AI)-based application for crop pest and disease management.
The initiative comes at a time when agriculture contributes 23.4% of Pakistan's gross domestic product (GDP) and accounts for 33.1% of total employment, according to the Pakistan Economic Survey 2025-26.
China's National Smart Agriculture Action Plan (2024-2028) aims to establish a national agricultural and rural big-data platform and increase the agricultural production informatization rate to more than 30% by the end of 2026. A parallel programme seeks to establish up to 500 agricultural modernisation demonstration zones by 2030, covering grain production, animal husbandry, specialty agriculture, smart farming, urban agriculture and dryland farming.
China has also introduced an agricultural and rural modernisation plan for 2026-2030 focusing on food security, improved agricultural quality and competitiveness, artificial intelligence, cold-chain logistics, intelligent breeding and new-energy agricultural machinery.
Speaking to Wealth Pakistan, Abdul Qadir Jilani, Senior Programme Officer for Monitoring, Evaluation and Research at the National Rural Support Programme (NRSP), said China's experience demonstrates that reliable and timely data are essential for effective agricultural planning and natural resource management.
He said Pakistan should establish an integrated monitoring system linking federal and provincial institutions responsible for agriculture, water resources, climate, forests, biodiversity and disaster management. Greater investment in remote sensing, geographic information systems (GIS), automated monitoring stations and digital platforms would improve the quality and timeliness of information available to policymakers.
Jilani said stronger monitoring systems could help identify ecosystem degradation while improving early warning systems for floods, droughts, landslides and heatwaves, enabling better planning for the agriculture sector. He added that standardised data-sharing mechanisms, technical capacity and sustained investment would be essential to translate monitoring systems into practical policy tools.
Sharing a similar view, Feroz Ahmed Tipu, Farm Manager for NRSP's Azad Jammu and Kashmir region in Sihala, Islamabad, said Pakistan should adopt a long-term, evidence-based agricultural policy that remains consistent beyond political cycles while strengthening coordination between the federal and provincial governments.
"China's experience demonstrates that agricultural modernisation is driven not only by technology but also by strong institutions, sustained public investment and effective extension services," he said.
Tipu said Pakistan should expand investment in agricultural research and development, certified seeds, irrigation infrastructure and climate-smart farming. He also stressed the need to improve farmers' access to affordable credit, crop insurance, market information and digital advisory services.
He said precision agriculture, satellite monitoring, AI-based crop disease detection and digital platforms could help farmers make better decisions on irrigation, fertiliser application and pest management. Machinery-sharing models and custom hiring centres would also enable small farmers to benefit from modern equipment without the high cost of ownership.
Tipu said investment in cold storage, processing facilities, warehousing and rural transport infrastructure could reduce post-harvest losses and enable farmers to capture greater value from their produce. He added that stronger farmer cooperatives and closer integration with agribusinesses and export markets would further improve agricultural productivity and rural incomes.

Credit: INP-WealthPk