China's agricultural equipment sows seeds of prosperity in Pakistan: minister

The agriculture equipment and tools provided by China under the Socio-Economic Development Grant of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will sow seeds of prosperity for Pakistan and its farming communities, Pakistani Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain said on Tuesday.

Under the grant, China has provided Pakistan with 278 sets of agricultural machinery and equipment, including tractors, seeders, combine harvesters, photovoltaic water pump systems, among others, representing one of the largest China-aided agricultural equipment projects to Pakistan in recent years.

Addressing the handing over ceremony of the equipment to the representatives of the provincial government, Hussain said that the lack of modern farm machinery is one of the primary constraints of low crop yields in Pakistan, and this "invaluable support" will significantly enhance the capacity of the research institutions of the country.

"It will enable us to modernize our agriculture practices, improve crop yields, and address current challenges to our food security, such as water scarcity and climate change," he added.

Speaking at the event, Federal Secretary of the Ministry Waseem Ajmal Chaudhry said that the support and cooperation coming from China is critical, not only for boosting and stabilizing agricultural exports and the economy, but also for promoting social harmony.

Private sectors will also be included to bring these machines to the farms, ensuring that they are not just tested in the controlled environments of research institutes but under real farming conditions, he added.

Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Jiang Zaidong, who also attended the event, said that China and Pakistan are both traditional agricultural countries that need to maintain food security and improve their people's lives.

"The United States' arbitrary imposition of additional tariffs on over 180 countries has severely infringed upon the legitimate rights and interests of all countries, severely undermined the multilateral trading system, and severely disrupted the global economic order," Jiang said.

China is willing to jointly resist unilateralism and tariff bullying with the Pakistani side to safeguard the common interests of both sides and international justice, he added.

Following the event, the machinery was displayed to the public, agricultural experts, engineers, and students, who showed significant interest.

Talking to Xinhua on the sidelines of the event, Kamran Bilal, a student from a nearby agricultural university, said the machines will transform Pakistan's agricultural sector.

"They will help us improve yields, save time, and better manage resources, which are critical for our country's agricultural growth," he said.

Launched in 2013, CPEC, a flagship project of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, is a corridor linking Gwadar Port in Pakistan with Kashgar in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It highlights energy, transport, and industrial cooperation in the first phase, while expanding to fields of agriculture and livelihood, among others, in the new phase.