PM Shehbaz gives approval to restructuring of PARC

According to details, a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif was held regarding the affairs of the Ministry of National Food Security and Research and the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council.

The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Federal Ministers Ahsan Khan Cheema, Rana Tanveer Hussain, and Musadik Malik, Advisor to the Prime Minister Rana Sanaullah, Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani, Special Assistants to the Prime Minister Haroon Akhtar and Tariq Bajwa, Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Agriculture Ahmed Umer, along with other senior government officials.

During the meeting, in-principle approval was given for the restructuring of PARC. The Prime Minister directed that a comprehensive restructuring plan be prepared with a clear timeline.

A detailed briefing was given on transforming PARC into an active institution aligned with modern agricultural research requirements.

Additionally, reforms in governance structure, hiring of top research talent, international partnerships, improved coordination with provincial governments, and clearly defined performance targets were included in the reform agenda to make the institution more effective in meeting national food needs and boosting agricultural exports.

The briefing further stated that all research centers under the council would be consolidated into five Centers of Excellence. These centers will focus on research in high-yield seeds, superior livestock breeds, precision agriculture, farm mechanization including the use of AI, and food processing to enhance agricultural exports. Agricultural research will also be linked with industry.