Pakistan, FAO Agree to Expand Cooperation on Climate-Resilient Agriculture and Food Security

ISLAMABAD, July 31: Pakistan and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation on climate-resilient agriculture, food security, livestock development, and sustainable rural growth during a high-level meeting chaired by Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain.

The meeting was attended by FAO Deputy Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific Robert Simpson and senior officials from both sides, who reviewed ongoing projects and explored new avenues of collaboration to enhance Pakistan’s agricultural resilience in the face of climate change.

Welcoming the FAO delegation, Rana Tanveer Hussain appreciated the organization’s longstanding partnership with Pakistan and acknowledged its continued support in strengthening the country’s agriculture and food systems. He said Pakistan remains one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change despite contributing only a minimal share to global carbon emissions, and stressed the need for enhanced technical assistance and the timely implementation of development projects.

The FAO delegation briefed the minister on key areas of cooperation, including the One Health Programme, food safety and sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) systems, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), sustainable agricultural mechanization, climate resilience under the Indus River Basin Programme, and the use of GIS, remote sensing, and agrometeorological technologies to promote climate-smart agriculture.

Robert Simpson proposed organizing a National Climate Forum in collaboration with the Ministry of National Food Security and Research to bring together government institutions, development partners, academia, and the private sector for coordinated climate action in agriculture. The minister welcomed the proposal and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to building a climate-resilient agricultural sector.

Highlighting the government’s priorities, Rana Tanveer Hussain said Pakistan is focusing on strengthening food safety and SPS systems, promoting climate-resilient certified seeds through the National Seed Development and Regulatory Authority (NASDRA), expanding agricultural mechanization and storage infrastructure, establishing Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), implementing the One District, One Product initiative in underdeveloped districts, improving livestock exports through better disease control, and reducing dependence on imported wheat and edible oil.

The FAO delegation assured the minister that the organization would continue supporting Pakistan in mobilizing financial resources from international financial institutions and development partners for agriculture and rural development projects.

Both sides also discussed FAO’s upcoming policy report on Pakistan’s food production and nutritional requirements, as well as the One Country One Priority Product (OCOP) initiative, under which Pakistan is currently participating with Chilgoza, while Chaunsa mango has been proposed for inclusion.

The meeting concluded with both sides reaffirming their commitment to deepening cooperation in sustainable agriculture, climate resilience, food security, and livestock development to improve the livelihoods of Pakistan’s farming communities and strengthen the country’s agricultural economy.