LANZHOU, Jul 24 — The Gansu Academy of Agricultural Sciences (GAAS) and Islamia University of Bahawalpur (IUB) have entered into an agreement to establish a Joint Laboratory focused on Modern Agriculture Science and Technology. This initiative aims to enhance collaborative research in areas such as high-yield and high-quality crop breeding, sustainable agricultural development technologies, efficient agricultural resource utilization, and agricultural ecological environment protection.
GAAS President Chang Hong highlighted that the challenges faced by Pakistan’s agricultural sector, such as water scarcity and inadequate equipment, are similar to those previously encountered by Gansu. He emphasized that the Joint Laboratory would serve as a conduit for transforming accumulated Chinese experience, including dryland farming technologies, crop cultivation models, and agricultural mechanization schemes, into localized solutions suitable for Pakistan.
Under the agreement, research bases will be established in both Gansu and Bahawalpur. The focus will be on promoting the localization of GAAS’s advanced technologies in Pakistan. Key initiatives will include introducing grain-legume intercropping and dryland water-saving technologies to arid areas in Pakistan to enhance the stress resistance and yield of farmland. Additionally, the collaboration will combine Gansu’s high-quality crop breeding experience with Pakistani germplasm resources to develop high-yield crop varieties. The agreement also emphasizes strengthening personnel exchanges and technical training for Pakistani agricultural professionals.
Prof. Muhammad Kamran, IUB Vice Chancellor, remarked that in Pakistan, where agriculture supports nearly 40% of the labor force, there is a pressing need for modernization and research-based solutions to ensure food security, climate resilience, and economic uplift. He envisions the joint laboratory as a model of synergy where Pakistani and Chinese scientists, researchers, and students will collaborate, benefiting from shared knowledge, cutting-edge facilities, and a spirit of co-creation.