CPAC to benefit farmers in Pakistan

LAHORE: The China-Pakistan Agricultural Corridor (CPAC) project would bring socio-economic development for farmers in Pakistan and further pave the way for a new era of collaboration between the two all-weather strategic partners.

The Pakistan-China Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCJCCI) has been planning to design a joint application for projects in the field of agricultural sciences to work for the social and economic development of the two countries.

PCJCCI President Moazzam Ghurki addressing a think tank session on Friday said that CPAC was a project of high significance and would serve as a model for other countries in the region to emulate and reinforce the belief that cooperation and partnership could lead to benefits for all. China pledged to open up its markets for Pakistani agriculture products like rice and fish, and to facilitate Pakistan in the marketing of its Halal food products. The Chinese also aim to provide modern agricultural technologies.

PCJCCI Senior Vice President Fang Yulong said that agriculture in the South Asian countries, was struggling with low productivity, supply shortfalls, low returns to farmers, lack of advanced technology and trained professionals. All of these problems were threatening the food security of the region, he added.

Addressing these issues will have a significant impact on people’s lives, particularly in Pakistan, as it is an agro-economic country with immense potential for crop production and research in agricultural sciences.

“We are actively pursuing research on plant biotechnology, environmental sciences, agri-technology and agribusiness with emphasis on precision agriculture, multi-spectral sensing of crop fields, 3D printing and scanning applications, early detection of pathogens and effective plant disease management,” Yulong said.