Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal presided over a meeting to discuss a significant initiative aimed at providing short-term training for 1,000 agriculture professionals in China, as directed by the Prime Minister of Pakistan.
The meeting included the participation of Secretary Planning Awais Manzur Sumra, the Secretary of Education, the Chairman of the Higher Education Commission (HEC), and senior officials from the Ministries of Food and Finance, as well as the CPEC Secretariat.
During the discussions, the minister emphasized the importance of prioritizing candidates with the highest potential to ensure a substantial return on investment from the training program. He stressed that the selection process must be inclusive, representing all provinces of Pakistan, and that only those capable of making meaningful contributions to the agriculture sector should be considered.
Iqbal also highlighted the necessity of creating a structured action plan for the training initiative, urging that the knowledge gained by these professionals be effectively leveraged by provincial Planning and Development departments for further training and capacity-building efforts.
He pointed out the critical need for increased investment in higher education, noting that Pakistan’s tertiary education enrollment rate is just 13%, significantly lower than that of other regional countries. He called for a coordinated effort between the Federal and Provincial Governments to align funding and address the resource gap in higher education.
The minister underscored the project’s strategic importance and proposed establishing a dedicated Project Management Unit (PMU) within the implementing agency, utilizing existing personnel.
The training will be conducted in phases, with the first batch of 300 agriculture professionals traveling to China, followed by a second batch of 300 and a third batch of 400. This phased strategy aims to ensure better resource management and maximize the training program’s impact.
Additionally, the minister instructed the formation of a committee comprising representatives from the HEC, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Planning to oversee the project’s progress. This committee will meet every two weeks to review ongoing initiatives.