The government is planning an initiative to strengthen Pakistan’s agricultural research by building reference genomes of indigenous crops and using artificial intelligence-based models to accelerate the development of improved varieties.
Govt plans use of AI to develop improved crop varieties
ISLAMABAD, Mar 16 (APP):The government is planning an initiative to strengthen Pakistan’s agricultural research by building reference genomes of indigenous crops and using artificial intelligence-based models to accelerate the development of improved varieties.
The expected outcomes include stronger agricultural productivity, improved export competitiveness and better livelihoods for resource-poor farmers, particularly those living in marginal and climate-vulnerable regions.
According to official documents available with Wealth Pakistan, a project titled “Building Reference Genomes and Leveraging AI-driven Models for Improvement of Indigenous Crops” has been proposed.
The four-year project, scheduled from July 2026 to June 2030, will be implemented at the National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC) in Islamabad at an estimated cost of Rs786.816 million. The Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) will execute the initiative through the National Institute for Genomics and Advanced Biotechnology (NIGAB).
The initiative is expected to significantly shorten the time required to develop new crop varieties while strengthening Pakistan’s capacity in modern breeding and agricultural biotechnology, the document said.
The initiative is expected to lead to the release of 10 elite crop varieties, including resistant-starch rice and wheat, sugarcane with at least 13.3 percent sugar recovery, and shattering-resistant canola.
The project aims to use the existing state-of-the-art genomics, biotechnology, intelligent glasshouse and speed-breeding facilities at NIGAB to produce high-quality reference genome sequences for 62 indigenous crop varieties, covering 17 major crop species of Pakistan.
These genomic resources will support advanced agricultural applications, including the development of 10 cost-effective DNA-SNP (Deoxyribonucleic Acid-Single Nucleotide Polymorphism) genotyping platforms integrated with AI-enabled genomic selection and speed-breeding systems.
Another key component of the project is establishing 10 cost-effective 30K SNP genotyping platforms, or DNA chips, that will be integrated into AI-driven genomic selection and speed-breeding pipelines.
The project will also create a national DNA fingerprinting repository by developing DNA fingerprints of 848 crop varieties. This database will help support plant breeders’ rights, varietal certification and crop traceability systems.
In addition, the initiative aims to commercialise next-generation sequencing (NGS), SNP genotyping and bioinformatics services in Pakistan to assist breeding programmes in both the public and private sectors.
According to the document, the project is aligned with Pakistan Vision 2026 and the Uraan Pakistan Framework under the 13th Five-Year Plan.
It also supports national policies on food security, biotechnology and climate resilience, as well as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
