Bilateral meeting with H.E. Syed Tauqir Hussain Shah, Advisor to the Prime Minister of Pakistan

Rome - FAO Director-General, Dr QU Dongyu, met with H.E. Syed Tauqir Hussain Shah, Advisor to the Prime Minister of Pakistan, on the sidelines of the 2025 World Food Forum and FAO’s 80th Anniversary celebrations at FAO headquarters.

The Director-General warmly welcomed the delegation and commended Pakistan’s strong commitment to transforming its agrifood systems to meet the needs of more than 250 million people, the majority of whom are dependent on smallholder farming. He emphasized the importance of scaling up agribusiness, improving post-harvest management, enhancing water management and strengthening resilience. He reaffirmed FAO’s readiness to continue supporting Pakistan through technical assistance, innovation, and capacity development.

Mr Syed Tauqir Hussain Shah expressed appreciation for FAO’s longstanding partnership and underscored the need for enhanced technical cooperation to strengthen research, innovation, and technology transfer. He noted that there is a need for cutting-edge knowledge to maximize impact and ensure efficient use of investments in crops, land, and water management.

Both sides reaffirmed their shared commitment to advancing Pakistan’s agrifood systems transformation agenda, with a focus on innovation, sustainability, and inclusive growth to ensure national food security and improved livelihoods for smallholder farmers.