Pakistan has sought Australian technical assistance to improve agricultural and livestock productivity, including the establishment of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD)-free zones, as part of efforts to boost farm yields and farmer profitability.
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The initiative was discussed during a meeting between Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain and Australian High Commissioner Timothy Kane in Islamabad on Thursday. The talks focused on enhancing agricultural and livestock yields, addressing biosecurity challenges, improving market access and expanding technical collaboration.
وزیراعظم پاکستان کی ہدایات پر وفاقی وزیر برائے قومی غذائی تحفظ و تحقیق رانا تنویر حسین کی زیرِ صدارت زرعی اور لائیو اسٹاک شعبوں میں تعاون کے فروغ کے لیے آسٹریلیا کے ہائی کمشنر برائے پاکستان جناب ٹموتھی کین کے ساتھ ایک اعلیٰ سطحی ملاقات-
— Ministry of National Food Security and Research (@MoNFSR) January 22, 2026
اجلاس میں وزیراعظم کے معاونِ خصوصی ہارون اختر، لائیو اسٹاک کمشنر اور متعلقہ اداروں کے سینئر افسران نے بھی شرکت کی- اجلاس کے دوران زرعی و لائیو اسٹاک پیداوار میں اضافے، مارکیٹ تک رسائی، بایو سیکیورٹی کے امور اور تکنیکی تعاون کے فروغ پر تفصیلی تبادلۂ خیال کیا گیا-
— Ministry of National Food Security and Research (@MoNFSR) January 22, 2026
Mr Tanveer highlighted agriculture’s central role in Pakistan’s economy, noting that around 65 per cent of the population is directly or indirectly linked to the sector, while 36 per cent of total employment depends on it. He said nearly 60 per cent of the country’s agricultural economy is based on livestock, but productivity levels remain low.
The minister informed the Australian envoy that the government has allocated Rs7.35 billion over two years to control FMD and has begun establishing disease-free compartments. He said vaccines are being imported from Russia and China, while international expertise is being sought to improve animal weight, yields and overall farm profitability.
Comparing regional performance, Mr Tanveer said Pakistan’s average crop yield stands at about 30 maunds per acre, significantly lower than India’s average of 45 maunds per acre, underscoring the need for productivity-focused reforms and technology adoption.
High Commissioner Kane said Australia is digitising phytosanitary and regulatory processes and expressed willingness to host Pakistani officials for technical exchanges and training programmes. Both sides agreed to deepen cooperation through capacity building, regular engagement and technical collaboration to address shared food security challenges.
The meeting also discussed horticulture exports, with the minister expressing Pakistan’s desire to increase mango shipments to Australia. While Canberra has shown interest, he said certain technical and regulatory issues remain and Pakistan is prepared to resolve them promptly.
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Officials noted that several Australian-supported projects are already underway in Pakistan, particularly in dairy development, breed improvement and rangeland management, with closer cooperation expected to further enhance livestock productivity and export potential.