Pakistan and China expanded academic and agricultural cooperation after the Islamia University of Bahawalpur (IUB) signed a memorandum of understanding with the Institute of Urban Agriculture under the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) to promote collaboration in sustainable and urban agriculture, according to an IUB announcement.

The agreement was signed in Chengdu by Dr. Muhammad Shahzad of IUB’s Department of Agricultural Extension Education and Prof. Zhang Dequan, director of the Institute of Urban Agriculture, CAAS, the university said, according to a report carried by Gwadar Pro on Wednesday.

The MoU covers joint research and project development in agronomy, plant breeding, horticulture, soil sciences, agricultural extension, food science and technology, ecology, environmental sciences and intercropping, according to the announcement.

It also provides for academic exchange and mobility programmes for faculty members, researchers, postdoctoral fellows, PhD scholars and undergraduate students, IUB said.

The university said the framework also includes resource sharing, including laboratories, libraries and infrastructure, as well as cooperation on conferences, symposia and scientific publications.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP) — Pak-China