Summary PARC would be reorganised under a comprehensive, time-bound plan to transform it into a modern and effective institution aligned with contemporary research needs.
ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) - Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday approved in principle the restructuring of the country’s top agricultural research body, aiming to modernise the sector and address growing concerns over food security and declining farm productivity.
The decision, taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Shehbaz Sharif, comes as erratic weather patterns, including floods, droughts and heatwaves, strain agricultural output in a country where farming remains a key pillar of the economy and a major source of employment.
“Agricultural research plays a key role in the promotion of the country’s agriculture and food security sectors,” the prime minister said, according to a statement from his office.
Officials told the meeting that the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) would be reorganised under a comprehensive, time-bound plan to transform it into a modern and effective institution aligned with contemporary research needs.
Under the proposed reforms, research centers operating under PARC will be consolidated into five centres of excellence focusing on high-yield seeds, improved livestock breeding, precision agriculture, farm mechanization and the use of artificial intelligence, as well as food processing aimed at boosting agricultural exports.
The prime minister directed that PARC be developed along the lines of China’s Academy of Agricultural Sciences, with stronger governance, improved research capacity, international partnerships and closer coordination with provincial governments.
Pakistan’s agriculture sector, which contributes significantly to the economy, has struggled in recent years with declining yields, outdated farming practices and the growing impact of climate change, prompting calls for innovation and better integration of research with industry.
Officials said the restructuring would also seek to link agricultural research more closely with industry needs and ensure clearer performance targets to improve outcomes across the sector.
Senior officials, including the deputy prime minister, federal ministers and advisers, attended the meeting.
