Pakistan, Australia Expand Agriculture and Biosecurity Cooperation

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Australia have agreed to deepen cooperation in agricultural research, climate resilience, biosecurity, water management and farm trade, expanding a partnership that officials say should increasingly deliver practical benefits for Pakistani farmers. The understanding was reached during talks involving Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain, Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research official Dr Suzie Newman and the Australian High Commissioner to Pakistan.

The discussions focused on converting scientific research into solutions that can be applied at farm level rather than limiting cooperation to academic programmes. Hussain highlighted climate-resilient agriculture, efficient water use, crop improvement, horticulture and agricultural value chains as areas where stronger collaboration could support Pakistan's food-security and productivity goals. The Australian side expressed interest in continuing demand-driven research aligned with Pakistan's agricultural priorities.

The two countries also examined opportunities to expand Pakistan's agricultural and horticultural exports to Australia. A key part of that effort will involve addressing phytosanitary requirements, strengthening plant-health systems and improving market-access procedures. Australian representatives welcomed continued technical engagement between relevant institutions, while Pakistan identified stronger compliance and disease-control capacity as important for improving the competitiveness of its farm exports.

Biosecurity emerged as another major area for expanded cooperation. Pakistan proposed collaboration in pest identification, molecular diagnostics, DNA barcoding, pest surveillance, risk analysis and quarantine management. Officials also discussed modern digital plant-health systems that could strengthen the country's ability to detect and respond to agricultural threats before they cause wider damage to crops or disrupt trade.

The meeting additionally covered climate- and weather-based pest forecasting, geographic information system surveillance, early-warning mechanisms, invasive pest management and preparedness against locust threats. Both sides discussed environmentally sustainable approaches to pest control, reflecting the wider emphasis on protecting agricultural production while adapting farming systems to increasingly difficult climate conditions.

Officials reviewed the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research's existing Aik Saath programme and identified water-use efficiency, climate-resilient irrigation, management of salinity and waterlogging, improvement of wheat and pulse crops, horticulture, post-harvest systems and value-chain development as priority areas. The ACIAR-funded Water Resilience and Livelihood Improvement in the Southern Indus Basin project was also discussed, with Pakistan seeking stronger participation by domestic research institutions in its implementation.

Hussain said Australia's agricultural research partnership with Pakistan dates back to 1984 and has contributed to research, capacity building and agricultural development. The latest discussions indicate that Islamabad wants the next phase of cooperation to place greater emphasis on scalable solutions and direct outcomes for farmers, while also strengthening national institutions responsible for research, plant health and agricultural resilience.

The next steps will involve identifying new demand-driven research initiatives, expanding researcher exchanges and technical expertise, and increasing cooperation among government agencies, research institutions and agricultural stakeholders. Pakistan also plans to continue technical engagement aimed at improving access to the Australian market, while both sides work on projects designed to strengthen food security, climate resilience, biosecurity and sustainable agricultural production.