ANYANG, Apr. 4 (China Economic Net) - A Memorandum of Cooperation was signed by the institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (ICR-CAAS) and the Ayub Agricultural Research Institute, Faisalabad, Pakistan, in Anyang, Henan, China on March 25, aiming to launch comprehensive cooperation in cotton germplasm innovation, pest-resistant breeding, and cultivation technologies.

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, the Pakistani delegation engaged in in-depth academic exchanges with ICR scientists and toured key research facilities such as the National Key Laboratory for Cotton Bio-Breeding and so on.

The experts gained a detailed understanding of China’s cutting-edge advancements in insect-resistant gene editing and cotton germplasm innovation. Dr. Abid Mahmood, Director General Agri. (Research), Ayub Agricultural Research Institute, Faisalabad, hailed ICR’s scientific capacity and expressed strong interest in leveraging China’s technologies to accelerate agricultural modernization in Pakistan.

ICR-CAAS is the only state-level organization for professional cotton research in China. According to the institute, this cooperation serves as a key initiative under BRI, promoting the global application of China’s agricultural innovations and offering sustainable solutions for the future of the cotton industry worldwide.