FOREIGN NEWS
September-October. 2025 | @ AGROBiz
FOREIGN NEWS
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Growing ties
PAKISTAN and China have signed more than US $ 4 billion worth of agreements aimed at modernising Pakistan’ s agriculture, marking one of the largest bilateral investments in the sector.
The deals were concluded during the Pakistan-China Agricultural Investment Conference, where both countries endorsed 24 memoranda of understanding( MoUs).
The conference covered areas such as smart agriculture, seed development, and advanced farming machinery— initiatives expected to raise efficiency and secure longterm sustainability for farmers.
Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research, Rana Tanveer Hussain, described the outcome as a defining moment for the country’ s food security and economy.
He said:“ The development is a historic breakthrough that would serve as a cornerstone for the nation’ s food security and economic resilience.”
Rana further emphasised the importance of precision farming, explaining that technology-driven, data-based decisions could improve productivity and strengthen Paki-
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stan’ s position as an exporter.
He added that boosting yields would safeguard domestic food supplies while enabling farmers to enter new markets.
Meetings were also held with Chinese agribusiness companies, and their representatives signalled interest in long-term ventures, reflecting confidence in Pakistan’ s potential to play a larger role in regional agriculture.
Highlighting export opportunities, Rana noted that China’ s agricultural imports total $ 215 billion annually.
“ Pakistan can supply such products at more competitive prices
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compared to global markets,” Rana said, noting that the collaboration opens access to one of the world’ s largest markets.
Hussain also credited Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’ s policies for giving“ new direction to the Pakistan-China agricultural partnership”, noting that the agreements would not only expand production and trade but also solidify strategic ties.
With agriculture now seen as a core pillar in Pakistan-China relations, the latest deals are expected to provide both immediate benefits for farmers and a lasting impact on regional food security.
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BUILDING GLOBAL LINKS: Pakistan and China celebrate a partnership aimed at boosting food trade across borders. |
Liberia bets on agriculture
LIBERIA has set its sights on transforming its food systems with the launch of a US $ 900 million Legacy Investment Program, unveiled during the Africa Food Systems Forum( AFS Forum) 2025 in Dakar.
The event, which ran from Aug 31 to Sept 5, drew more than 6,000 delegates representing 113 countries, including policymakers, farmers, private sector leaders, and development partners.
Agriculture Minister Dr J. Alexander Nuetah said the programme will serve as the foundation of Liberia’ s long-term food security strategy.
“ The Legacy Investment Program focuses on increasing productivity by providing the right inputs, infrastructure, technology, and services across agricultural value chains,” he explained.
Calling it the“ cornerstone of Liberia’ s agricultural transformation agenda”, he stressed that it would help generate rural employment, strengthen nutrition, and drive poverty reduction.
The plan outlines five key value chains: 50,000 hectares of rice to meet self-sufficiency, 20,000 hectares of maise to support food and feed needs, 15,000 hectares of coffee to restore export markets, 20,000 hectares of cassava for food and processing, and 18,000 hectares of oil palm to expand local edible oil supplies and foreign exchange earnings.
Delegations from Germany and Ireland, along with organisations such as AGRA and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, have expressed support. Ireland, in particular, reaffirmed its focus on nutrition-sensitive farming, women’ s empowerment, and climate-smart agriculture in Liberia.
“ Liberia offers an enabling
RURAL PROSPERITY: The Legacy Program puts smallholders at the heart of economic growth.
environment for agribusiness investment, with strong incentives designed to encourage sustainable private sector participation,” Nuetah said, highlighting benefits such as the country’ s dual currency system.
Tied to Vision 2030, the Legacy Program aims to elevate Liberia’ s status to lower-middle-income, targeting a growth in Gross Domestic Product( GDP) per capita from US $ 866 in 2024 to US $ 1,115 by 2030.
As Nuetah summed it up:“ This $ 900 million plan is more than a national strategy; it is a roadmap for partnerships that can deliver prosperity across Africa’ s food systems.”- @ AGROBiz