Press Release
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The Punjab Agriculture, Food and Drug Authority (PAFDA) has signed an Agreement of Cooperation (AoC) with CAB International (CABI) to strengthen collaboration in scientific research, data systems, capacity building, and knowledge exchange across agriculture, food safety, environmental protection, and public health.
The agreement was signed at PAFDA headquarters in Lahore by Dr. Talat Naseer Pasha, Director General, PAFDA , and Dr. Sabyan Faris Honey, Regional Director, CABI. The ceremony was attended by senior scientists and technical leadership from both organizations. The signing was witnessed by Dr. Babar E. Bajwa, Executive Director, Asia Pacific, CABI , along with Dr. Muhammad Nasir, Member Food, PAFDA .
Science-led cooperation for food safety
The collaboration brings together CABI’s global expertise in agricultural and environmental sciences with PAFDA’s analytical infrastructure and scientific workforce. It is expected to provide a platform for strengthening regulatory science and addressing emerging challenges in agriculture and food safety.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Talat Naseer Pasha emphasized the importance of moving beyond formal agreements towards actionable outcomes. He said sustained engagement and structured collaboration would be essential for delivering measurable impact.
He noted that a joint work-planning exercise had been scheduled for 20 and 21 April, during which both institutions would develop a roadmap for the coming year.
Priority areas identified
The two organizations identified several priority areas for immediate collaboration. These include biopesticides and biological solutions, pesticide residue monitoring and risk assessment, and reducing mycotoxin contamination in food and animal feed.
The partnership will also focus on strengthening scientific frameworks for Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) covering pesticides and other contaminants, supporting evidence-based regulatory decision-making.
Under the agreement, both institutions will collaborate on developing pesticide residue monitoring systems and databases by linking local analytical data with international scientific knowledge platforms.
Research, training and scientific databases
The collaboration will enable access to CABI’s international scientific databases and training platforms. It will support capacity building for PAFDA scientists in areas including biopesticides, biofertilizers, contaminant analysis and risk assessment.
The partnership will also cover joint research projects, microbial and genomic studies, and the preparation of technical publications addressing food safety, agriculture and environmental sustainability.
Dr. Babar E. Bajwa said the partnership represents a strong step towards translating global scientific knowledge into local solutions. He emphasized that institutional collaboration can contribute to safer food systems, sustainable agriculture and improved public health outcomes.
Both organizations described the agreement as the beginning of a long-term, implementation-focused partnership aimed at delivering measurable outcomes through scientific work, capacity building and data-driven regulatory systems.