ISLAMABAD: The government will engage foreign experts to strengthen governance and strategic oversight in the country’s agricultural sector and scientists from the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) will be included in the board of scientific advisory committee of Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC).

The formation of the Scientific Advisory Committee was announced on Wednesday, with 50 per cent foreign specialists from CAAS and other international institutions, ensuring that the country’s research system is aligned with the best global practices.

The committee meeting will be convened quarterly to review scientific priorities, set strategic directions and benchmark performance against global standards.

The decision to engage international experts in policy-making in the agricultural sector was announced during a meeting chaired by Minister for National Food Security and Research, Rana Tan­veer Hussain, which discussed reforms of the national agricultural research system.

The ministry finalised a restructuring plan of PARC, under which the research body will be repositioned as a ‘strategic coordinator’, shifting away from direct implementation. The vision is to align national agenda strictly with export targets and food security goals.

Published in Dawn, March 12th, 2026