Azernews.Az

A memorandum of cooperation was signed by the Institute of Cotton Research of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (ICR-CAAS) and the Ayub Agricultural Research Institute, Faisalabad in Anyang, Henan province on March 25, aimed at launching comprehensive cooperation in cotton germplasm innovation, pest-resistant breeding, and cultivation technologies, Azernews reports, citing Tribune.

Under the new agreement, both sides will collaborate on germplasm collection and identification, variety improvement focused on pest resistance, joint breeding and field trials across both countries, and the integration of advanced cultivation techniques.

The partnership also aims to strengthen talent exchange and training, contributing to the development of a China-Pakistan cotton technology community.

As part of the visit, a Pakistani delegation engaged in in-depth academic exchanges with ICR scientists and toured research facilities such as the National Key Laboratory for Cotton Bio-breeding. The experts gained a detailed understanding of China's cutting-edge advancements in insect-resistant gene editing and cotton germplasm innovation.

Ayub Agricultural Research Institute Director General Agri-Research Dr Abid Mahmood hailed ICR's scientific capacity and expressed strong interest in leveraging China's technologies to accelerate agricultural modernisation in Pakistan.

ICR-CAAS is the only state-level organisation for professional cotton research in China. According to the institute, this cooperation serves as a key platform under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), promoting the global application of China's agricultural innovations and offering sustainable solutions for the future of the cotton industry worldwide.