Washington, D.C.: Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, engaged in a meeting with Mr. Alvaro Lario, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), during the World Bank-IMF Spring Meetings 2026.

According to Press Information Department, the meeting highlighted Pakistan’s status as the largest core borrower from IFAD, with the most extensive program of work across any single country in IFAD’s portfolio. The Finance Minister emphasized agriculture as a national priority, acknowledging the country’s underperformance in yields, productivity, and value chain development.

Senator Aurangzeb presented key initiatives focused on agricultural transformation, which include introducing new leadership, training young graduates in modern agricultural practices internationally, and deregulating key commodity sectors. He informed Mr. Lario about the approved deregulation of the sugar sector and ongoing liberalization of the wheat sector, with the government withdrawing from procurement.

Financial access for smallholder farmers and addressing value chain gaps, particularly in post-harvest losses and storage infrastructure investment, were discussed as crucial areas for improvement. The Minister also noted risks from the global crisis affecting fertilizer supply.

The meeting acknowledged IFAD’s evolving business model, which now includes greater private sector engagement. Both parties agreed on enhancing the partnership, considering multilateral partners like the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank as co-financiers to amplify IFAD’s impact.

Finally, Senator Aurangzeb proposed a direct engagement between IFAD and Pakistan’s Prime Minister’s Agricultural Task Force to align ongoing programs with national priorities.