Pakistan, Belarus agree to deepen agricultural, food security cooperation

August 12, 2026 (MLN): Pakistan and Belarus have agreed to explore new avenues for strengthening bilateral cooperation in agriculture, food security, trade, investment and agricultural technology, with both sides pledging to translate the engagement into concrete commercial, technological and institutional outcomes.

The agreement came during a meeting between Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain and Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food of Belarus Yakovchits Aleksander in Islamabad, said a press release issued.

Both sides agreed to encourage greater participation of enterprises and stakeholders from Pakistan and Belarus in food exhibitions and agricultural trade fairs organized in both countries, providing businesses with opportunities to showcase products, build partnerships and expand bilateral agricultural trade.

The two sides also agreed to facilitate online B2B sessions in seafood, citrus fruits, mangoes, fruit puree, vegetables including potatoes, seeds and dairy products, aimed at connecting businesses and strengthening commercial linkages.

They further agreed to facilitate reciprocal visits of trade and business delegations in the agriculture sector to promote partnerships, investment opportunities and the exchange of expertise.

The meeting also explored cooperation in fish farming, with both sides agreeing to promote the exchange of knowledge, technology and best practices to develop modern aquaculture and open new opportunities in the fisheries sector.

Both sides welcomed enhanced cooperation in seed trade and agreed to facilitate mutual export of seeds, which would help strengthen agricultural trade and provide access to quality seed varieties in both countries.

The Pakistani side proposed establishing a universal agricultural machinery testing facility at the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) with financial and technical support from Belarus, a proposal the Belarusian side took note of.

Both sides agreed that a detailed assessment would be undertaken, including preparation of an equipment list and evaluation of proposed sites, with exchange visits by technical experts to be facilitated by the end of 2026.

The two countries also agreed to explore capacity-building cooperation between their plant quarantine organizations to strengthen phytosanitary systems, supporting measures to prevent the spread of quarantine pests and facilitate safe international trade in agricultural commodities.

Federal Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain said Pakistan was keen to expand engagement with Belarus across emerging areas of agriculture and food security, while creating greater opportunities for businesses, farmers, investors and technical experts.

Both sides expressed satisfaction over the growing cooperation and reaffirmed their commitment to developing mutually beneficial partnerships across agriculture, food security, trade, investment, aquaculture, seed trade, agricultural machinery and phytosanitary cooperation.

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