In a significant move towards advancing agricultural technology through international collaboration, four Pakistani universities–the University of Haripur, Quaid-i-Azam University, Sindh Agriculture University, and Ayub Agricultural Research Institute–have joined the Silk Road Agricultural Education and Research Innovation Alliance.
The collaboration will facilitate exchange and joint development of new food crops, vegetable varieties, and medicinal crops.
Last year, the alliance provided the Pakistani universities with wheat and vegetable varieties such as cabbage, carrot, and tomatoes for further research at their demonstration parks.
A new wheat variety suitable for broader cultivation in Pakistan has been identified, projected to improve wheat production by 27%. Innovations such as nanobiochar, new nutrient solutions, and bio-organic fertilizers have also been introduced, enhancing crop quality and output.