The Punjab Agriculture Department, in collaboration with the Food Security and Agriculture Centre of Excellence (FACE), a not-for-profit development organisation, commemorated a significant milestone in their ongoing partnership during a ceremony held in Lahore today.
This public-private collaboration is designed to modernize Punjab’s agriculture landscape by building capacity, introducing digital tools, and integrating technology-driven solutions at the grassroots level. A key focus is enhancing the technical capabilities of field officers through advanced training in crop yield improvement, drone-assisted farming, satellite data utilization, and AI-based crop monitoring.
To deliver impactful, high-quality training, FACE has engaged international agricultural specialists and designed a series of crop-specific seminars, hands-on workshops, and learning modules tailored to Pakistan’s local context.
A major highlight of the initiative is the deployment of 60 Digital Pest Traps across key agricultural zones in Punjab. These smart devices enable real-time detection and identification of crop-damaging pests, helping mitigate losses—estimated at 20–30% of crop output annually due to pest infestations.
Additionally, 30 top-performing agriculture students from local universities have been inducted into a three-month paid internship program, where they will work alongside field officers from the Agriculture Extension Department. This hands-on exposure aims to bridge the academic-industry gap and groom the next generation of agri-tech leaders.
To further accelerate digital adoption, FACE has also donated laptops to the Agriculture Department, allowing frontline officers to leverage satellite imagery, crop analytics, and precision monitoring tools—ushering in a new era of data-driven agriculture.
The ceremony was attended by the Secretary Agriculture Punjab, senior field officers, academia, FACE management, and farmers’ representatives, underscoring a shared commitment to innovation, sustainability, and food security in the province.
