BEIJING, Dec 23 — The Embassy of Pakistan in Beijing hosted the second Pakistan-China Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Forum, highlighting skills development as a key driver for strengthening Pakistan’s agriculture sector and supporting workforce readiness through targeted training and industry collaboration.
Senior officials from Pakistan and China, along with representatives of agricultural TVET institutions and enterprises from both countries, attended the forum. Participants reviewed opportunities for joint initiatives in sector-based training and discussed practical approaches to preparing a skilled workforce for agriculture-related fields in Pakistan.
Discussions emphasized the importance of designing training programs tailored to specific agricultural sub-sectors, including agri-technology, food processing, livestock, dairy production and food-grade packaging. Speakers noted that focused and market-oriented training can help modernize production systems, improve productivity and support the adoption of advanced farming practices.
In recorded messages, Pakistan’s federal ministers for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, and for National Food Security and Research, along with the chairperson of the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission, welcomed the initiative. They said enhanced cooperation in skills development aligns with national priorities and can play a vital role in strengthening Pakistan’s agricultural workforce.
Keynote speakers from China’s ministries of education and human resources described the forum as a practical step toward deepening Pakistan-China cooperation in vocational education. They emphasized that closer linkages between training institutions and industry are essential to ensuring that skills development matches labor market needs and supports long-term development objectives.
Pakistan’s Ambassador to China, Khalil Hashmi, underscored the need to align technical and vocational education with Chinese investment in Pakistan’s priority sectors, particularly agriculture. He said skills training must progress in parallel with industrial and agricultural activity so that trained workers are equipped to meet real sectoral demand. He also stressed that stronger collaboration between educational institutions and industry would help boost productivity and contribute to food security.
The ambassador thanked participating institutions and enterprises for their contributions and reaffirmed the embassy’s commitment to promoting sector-focused TVET cooperation between Pakistan and China.
The forum concluded with a shared understanding that sustained Pakistan-China collaboration and closer coordination between academia and industry are essential to addressing the evolving skill requirements of Pakistan’s agriculture sector and supporting its long-term development.