The University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) and leading Chinese institutions have agreed to deepen cooperation in agricultural research, with a focus on climate-smart farming, seed development and horticulture, officials said. A Chinese delegation including Guobao Yuan and Jiang Maoshuang of Hubei D-gene Seed Co. Ltd.; Li Yin of Huazhong University of Science and Technology; and Shen Xiangling and Hu Yongfeng of China Three Gorges University visited UAF and met with the Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Zulfiqar Ali. Punjab Higher Education Commission Chairperson Prof. Dr. Iqrar Ahmad Khan and progressive farmer Javed Feroz also joined the discussions.

According to a report carried by Gwadar Pro, the talks centered on collaboration in climate-resilient wheat, rice, cotton, sorghum, corn, soybean, farming on marginalized lands and horticultural crops.

“Collaborative efforts will pave the way to learn from each other’s experience and to cope with common challenges,” Yuan said, adding that cooperation “will bring tangible results to excel in the sector.” Prof. Zulfiqar Ali said UAF had already introduced heat-tolerant wheat, pasta wheat, hybrid wheat, cotton and soybean varieties that boosted production. He proposed establishing a China-Pak seed center to accelerate work on high-yield crops. “The university is recognized as one of the world’s best agriculture universities,” he said.

The Vice-Chancellor also pointed to the university’s wider cooperation with China, noting that 22,000 students have learned Chinese at UAF’s Confucius Institute, and joint degree programs are underway with Chinese universities. Prof. Iqrar Ahmad Khan urged the need for public-private partnerships to turn research into practical outcomes.

“Currently, it is the need of the hour for the joint efforts to ensure food security,” he said. “Universities of the province have tremendous talents and research output.” Officials said the new partnership aims to strengthen food security, harness advanced seed technology and build stronger academic exchanges between Pakistan and China.

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