The Department of Bioinformatics & Biotechnology at Government College University Faisalabad successfully organized a Two-Day International Conference on “Smart Agriculture Systems for Food Security & Sustainability” on March 25–26, 2026, under the umbrella of the China-Pakistan Belt & Road Joint Agriculture Forum 2026. The conference aimed to provide an academic platform for discussing innovative, smart, and sustainable agricultural solutions to address the growing challenges of food security, climate resilience, and digital transformation in modern farming systems.

The conference brought together more than 150 participants from across Pakistan, including researchers, academicians, professionals, and students, along with international speakers and participants from China, Indonesia, and Europe. The event featured keynote talks by distinguished scholars from Huazhong Agricultural University, China, including Prof. Dr. Bie Zhilong, Prof. Dr. Song Peng, Dr. Zhang Qingsong, and Dr. Zhao Jie, as well as oral presentations by participants from Universitas Andalas, Indonesia.

During the opening ceremony, Chairperson, Department of Bioinformatics & Biotechnology, Prof. Dr. Usman Ali Ashfaq, and dean, Faculty of Life Sciences, Prof. Dr. Farhat Jabeen highlighted the objectives and significance of the conference.

In his address, Vice Chancellor GCUF, Prof. Dr. Rauf-i-Azam, highlighted the importance of academic collaboration under the China-Pakistan Belt & Road Agriculture Forum and acknowledged the role of Huazhong Agricultural University, China, in strengthening research partnerships. He urged researchers to focus on developing smart and digital solutions to support farmers, and stressed the importance of industry-academia linkages in addressing future agricultural challenges.

Vice Chancellor also appreciated the efforts of organizers of this conference especially Dr. Muhammad Tahir ul Qamar, Secretary of the Conference and Focal Person for HZAU-GCUF collaboration, for his valuable contributions in making the event successful.

The organizers shared that, in line with the relevant Government of Pakistan austerity measures, participants from outside Faisalabad, along with collaborating institutions from China and Indonesia, joined the conference online, ensuring broad national and international participation. The conference concluded with the hope that the knowledge shared, and collaborations developed during the event would contribute meaningfully toward advancing smart agriculture, food security, and sustainability in Pakistan and beyond.

◄ 1 2