A five-day international workshop organised by the National Productivity Organization and the Asian Productivity Organization is bringing agricultural experts and professionals together in Islamabad to explore technology-driven farming, sustainable soil management and innovative value-added products. The event also featured the presentation of the APO National Productivity Awards 2025.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is looking to smart agriculture, sustainable farming practices and value-added products to improve agricultural productivity and strengthen the sector’s contribution to the national economy, as an international workshop opened in Islamabad on Monday.
Organised by the National Productivity Organization (NPO) in collaboration with the Asian Productivity Organization (APO), Japan, the five-day workshop on Innovative Value-added Products in the Agriculture Sector (Smart Agriculture) is being held from November 2 to 6, 2026.
The programme brings together international delegates, agricultural experts and Pakistani professionals to exchange knowledge and explore ways to improve farming productivity through innovation, modern technologies, efficient resource use and value addition.
The opening ceremony was attended by Nadeem Ur Rehman, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Industries and Production, as chief guest. A major feature of the event was the presentation of the APO National Productivity Awards 2025, recognising achievements in productivity improvement, innovation, operational excellence and the promotion of a productivity-driven culture in Pakistan.
Addressing the ceremony, Nadeem Ur Rehman said agriculture remained a cornerstone of Pakistan’s economy, contributing to food security, employment generation and rural development, while supplying essential raw materials to the industrial sector.
He stressed the need to move beyond traditional agricultural practices through sustainable soil management, more efficient use of resources, modern technologies and greater value addition. Such measures, he said, were important for improving productivity and strengthening Pakistan’s economic competitiveness.
He also linked agricultural modernisation and productivity enhancement to the country’s wider economic transformation objectives under URAAN Pakistan and the 5Es National Economic Transformation Plan.
The joint secretary appreciated the APO’s continued cooperation and technical support in promoting productivity, innovation and institutional capacity development across its member economies.
NPO calls for stronger agriculture–industry linkages
Muhammad Alamgir Chaudhry, Chief Executive Officer of NPO Pakistan, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to improving productivity, innovation and competitiveness across key sectors of the economy.
He said agricultural productivity was as important as industrial productivity, given farming’s role in ensuring food security, supporting employment and supplying raw materials to industries.
Chaudhry emphasised that wider adoption of smart agriculture, sustainable soil management, resource-efficient production methods and innovative value-added solutions could improve agricultural performance and strengthen links between agriculture and industry.
He also highlighted the potential of these approaches to create new opportunities for agro-based enterprises, encouraging workshop participants to draw on international expertise, exchange practical experiences and apply the knowledge gained to achieve measurable improvements in productivity and sustainability.
Technology, sustainable farming and value addition on the agenda
The five-day workshop will cover sustainable soil management, resource-efficient agricultural practices, technology- and data-driven farming solutions, improvements in agricultural product quality and innovative approaches to value addition.
It is designed to facilitate technical learning, knowledge sharing and the exchange of international best practices among experts and participants from APO member economies.
The focus on smart agricultural technologies and value-added products reflects an effort to address productivity challenges across the agricultural value chain. More efficient resource utilisation and production methods can help reduce inefficiencies, while improvements in product quality and processing can enable agricultural businesses to generate greater economic value.
The initiative also seeks to support farmers, agricultural enterprises and other stakeholders by exposing them to approaches and expertise that can contribute to more productive and sustainable agricultural operations.
The inauguration of the workshop, alongside the presentation of the APO National Productivity Awards 2025, underscores the collaboration between NPO and APO in promoting productivity and international cooperation.
For Pakistan, the broader challenge is to translate technological knowledge and improved farming practices into practical gains across the agricultural sector, strengthening its contribution to food security, industry and the national economy.
