PM Shehbaz announces initiative to train 1,000 agricultural graduates in China

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday announced an initiative to send 1,000 agricultural graduates to China for advanced training.

The prime minister made the announcement while speaking at an event to inaugurate the Aeroponics Complex for Potato Seed Production at the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC).

During the event, PM Shehbaz highlighted the importance of agriculture as the backbone of Pakistan’s economy, with 65 percent of the population engaged in this sector.

PM Shehbaz Sharif said that the initiative is aimed at equipping agricultural graduates with modern skills and knowledge to accelerate Pakistan’s agricultural development and innovation.

Under this programme, agricultural graduates will receive specialized training in China, focusing on advanced agricultural techniques, modern farming practices, and innovative technologies.

The objective is to equip these professionals with the expertise needed to tackle challenges in agriculture, boost productivity, and contribute to the sustainable growth of Pakistan’s farming industry.

The prime minister expressed gratitude to South Korea for its support in establishing the Aeroponics Complex for Potato Seed Production, acknowledging the Republic of Korea as a strong economic partner.

PM Shehbaz emphasised the need for collaboration in various fields to strengthen bilateral ties.

He stressed the importance of increasing per-acre yields for crops like cotton and sugarcane and promoting small and medium enterprises in rural areas.

Earlier, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz inaugurated the Agriculture Tubewell Solarization project in Lahore.

This initiative aims to promote sustainable energy use in agriculture by providing financial subsidies for solar system installations.

The Punjab Government will offer a subsidy of five lac rupees for a 10-kilowatt solar system, seven and a half lac rupees for a 15-kilowatt system, and ten lac rupees for a 20-kilowatt system.

In the project’s first phase, 8,000 tube wells across the province will be selected through a balloting process for conversion to solar energy.