The second batch of 1,000 Pakistani agricultural specialists has returned to Pakistan following intensive training in China, bringing with them advanced expertise in smart farming technologies to propel the modernization of the country’s agricultural sector.

The training, conducted under the Pakistani Prime Minister’s Capacity Building Initiative, featured specialized courses at institutions in Wuhan and Chengdu, with a focus on innovation and hands-on technology transfer, Gwadar Pro reported on Sunday.

Among the returning experts is Hafiz Muhammad Mohsin Raza, a Unit Head at Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited, a leading agricultural development bank.

After completing training in artificial intelligence, drones and the Internet of Things at Huazhong Agricultural University in Wuhan, Raza emphasized the program’s practical value.

“This training helped me gain hands-on knowledge in drone applications and modern farming methods used in China,” he said. He aims to use these insights to design better financial products and policies to help local farmers access loans for climate-resilient, technology-driven agriculture.

Muhammad Usama, an early-career agriculture professional who also trained at Huazhong Agricultural University, described China as a “living laboratory” for agricultural transformation.

Noting shared challenges such as food security and climate stress, he sought to learn from China’s integration of digital tools, smart machinery and efficient irrigation systems.

“I wanted to bring back adaptable practical models, not just theory,” Usama explained. He plans to organize training sessions and build lasting collaborative networks with Chinese institutions to launch joint projects in Pakistan.

For researchers like Fraz Ahmad Khan, a scientific officer at the Rice Research Institute in Punjab who trained in Chengdu, the program provided a deep dive into cutting-edge applications.

Highlighting his hands-on experience with AI-driven crop models and drone-based phenotyping, he stressed that AI-powered precision agriculture is essential to address water scarcity and high input costs in Pakistan.

“Monitoring crop health and predicting yields with drones is now a necessity for climate resilience,” Khan stated. He proposed to start with pilot smart farms at research stations in Pakistan to develop localized and scalable models.

The program also delivered valuable insights for horticultural specialists. Maqbool Ahmad from Mango Research Institute, Multan visited production bases in Sichuan, including Panzhihua, where he observed advanced cultivation and processing techniques that have significantly boosted yields.

“We saw how they achieve double or triple the yield while improving livelihoods through enhanced productivity,” Ahmad said.

He plans to introduce small drones for orchard monitoring and spraying, as well as modern drying techniques to strengthen Pakistan’s dried mango industry, reduce post-harvest losses and increase farmers’ incomes.

The collective experience of this cohort underscores the strong consensus on the urgency of adopting smart agriculture.

The experts are poised to bridge the gap between research and field applications, advocate for supportive policies in financing and extension services, and enhance agricultural cooperation between Pakistan and China.

As expressed by Maqbool Ahmad, seeing China’s progress has been a powerful motivator and the hope is that the exchange will continue so that these concepts can take root and become a fruitful part of Pakistan’s agricultural system and drive it towards a more productive and sustainable future.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP) — Pak-China