Pakistan and Türkiye reached an agreement on Wednesday to enhance cooperation regarding Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) control, vaccine production, livestock development, and agricultural training. The consensus was reached during a meeting between the Minister for National Food Security & Research, Rana Tanveer Hussain, and the Ambassador of Türkiye to Pakistan, Dr. Irfan Neziroglu.
According to a press release, the two sides discussed concrete measures to strengthen bilateral cooperation in areas including agriculture, livestock, vaccine production, human resource development, and value-added food exports. Both nations agreed to turn their longstanding strategic partnership into practical initiatives through technical collaboration, institutional linkages, and direct engagement between experts, universities, and relevant ministries.
Capacity building and technical training were primary focuses of the discussion. Pakistan informed the Turkish side of a plan to send an initial group of approximately 30 participants to Türkiye as part of a proposed training programme for 100 trainees. While the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has identified potential Turkish institutions, coordination with the Higher Education Commission is currently underway to finalize universities, priority disciplines, and training arrangements. Ambassador Dr. Irfan Neziroglu offered to facilitate direct links with Turkish universities that specialize in agriculture.
Livestock development and the domestic production of FMD vaccines were identified as major priorities. Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain highlighted that the Prime Minister has decided to seek technical support from Türkiye to develop Pakistan’s indigenous FMD vaccine production capacity. In response, the Turkish Ambassador expressed Türkiye's willingness to provide technical cooperation and confirmed that a Turkish technical delegation would visit Pakistan to explore collaboration avenues.
The meeting also covered the findings of recent exchanges between livestock experts from both countries, including a Pakistani delegation's visit to Türkiye to study its livestock sector. That delegation is currently preparing a report to identify practical areas where Pakistani authorities can adopt Turkish expertise. This cooperation on FMD vaccine production and disease control is linked to Pakistan's ambition to create disease-free zones and improve access to international meat markets, specifically in Türkiye. Both sides noted that domestic vaccine production and improved animal health standards would help expand Pakistan's meat export potential.
Additionally, the two sides reviewed Türkiye’s previous support provided through TIKA for an olive oil production facility in Muzaffarabad, which has reportedly benefited around 5,000 farmers. Pakistan expressed interest in expanding similar initiatives to olive-producing regions in Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Chakwal, and Attock, focusing on processing, value addition, and market opportunities. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to moving toward implementation through technical teams and targeted joint initiatives.
