Both sides discuss addressing phytosanitary barriers to expand agricultural and horticultural exports; cooperation proposed in pest surveillance, diagnostics, climate-resilient farming, water management and crop improvement.
Pakistan and Australia have agreed to deepen cooperation in agricultural research, biosecurity and climate resilience while exploring measures to improve market access for Pakistani agricultural and horticultural products in Australia.
Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain held talks on September 3 with Dr Suzie Newman, General Manager Partnerships at the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), and the Australian High Commissioner to Pakistan.
The discussions covered agricultural research, climate resilience, biosecurity, water management, crop improvement and agricultural trade, with both sides agreeing to identify new research initiatives aligned with Pakistan’s food-security and agricultural priorities.
A key focus was expanding Pakistan’s agricultural and horticultural exports to Australia by addressing phytosanitary requirements, strengthening plant-health systems and facilitating market access.
The Australian side supported continued technical engagement between relevant institutions to address these issues.
Hussain proposed expanded cooperation on agricultural biosecurity and plant health, including pest identification, molecular diagnostics, DNA barcoding, pest surveillance, risk analysis, quarantine management and digital plant-health systems.
The two sides also discussed cooperation on climate- and weather-based pest forecasting, geographic information system-based surveillance, early-warning systems and management of invasive pests.
Locust preparedness was identified as another area for technical collaboration, including the development of environmentally sustainable approaches to pest control.
The minister said agricultural research should increasingly translate into practical and scalable solutions for farmers, particularly in climate-resilient agriculture, water management, crop improvement, horticulture and agricultural value chains.
Pakistan and Australia have cooperated in agricultural research through ACIAR since 1984, with the partnership covering research, capacity building and agricultural development.
ACIAR said its approach would continue to focus on demand-driven and locally led research, capacity building and converting research outcomes into practical benefits for farmers and the wider agricultural sector.
The meeting also reviewed ACIAR’s ongoing Aik Saath programme, with both sides identifying water-use efficiency, climate-resilient irrigation, salinity and waterlogging management, wheat and pulse improvement, horticulture, post-harvest management and value-chain development as priority areas.
The ACIAR-funded Water Resilience and Livelihood Improvement in the Southern Indus Basin project was also discussed.
Hussain called for greater involvement of Pakistani research institutions in the project to strengthen technical implementation, domestic ownership and its long-term sustainability.
The Australian side welcomed Pakistan’s participation in technical exchanges, capacity-building programmes and institutional cooperation, while stressing greater collaboration among research institutions, government agencies and agricultural stakeholders.
Both sides agreed to identify additional demand-driven and outcome-oriented research initiatives, including researcher exchanges, capacity building and technical cooperation aimed at developing practical solutions for Pakistan’s agricultural sector.
Hussain said Pakistan wanted to further expand its agricultural partnership with Australia in food security, climate resilience, biosecurity, water management, crop improvement, horticulture and export development.
Reference Link:- https://profit.pakistantoday.com.pk/2026/09/04/pakistan-australia-seek-to-expand-agricultural-trade-biosecurity-cooperation