ISLAMABAD: The first batch of 300 agricultural graduates will depart for China on April 16, 2025, under a government-funded international training programme, the Ministry of National Food Security and Research announced on Monday.
Earlier this year, the government launched a major initiative to send 1,000 agricultural graduates to China as part of a fully funded training programme aimed at upgrading Pakistan’s agricultural sector.
The programme, titled ‘Prime Minister’s Initiative for Capacity Building of 1,000 Agricultural Graduates in China’, is expected to equip future agricultural professionals with cutting-edge skills and global exposure.
“Through collaboration with leading Chinese universities and research institutes, the programme offers specialised training in nine high-priority areas including farm mechanisation, biotechnology, genomics, precision agriculture, artificial intelligence, and high-efficiency irrigation systems,” the ministry statement read.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and federal minister for national food security and research Rana Tanveer Hussain will attend a send-off ceremony on April 15, one day before the first group departs.
According to the ministry, the training—spanning three to six months—is fully funded by the government. Participants were chosen through a competitive merit-based process, with selection based on their specialization in nine priority areas.
“The agricultural graduates are expected to return as master trainers, helping disseminate the knowledge and techniques learned abroad to local farming communities and institutions,” it said.
