The newly established National Agri-Trade and Food Safety Authority (NAFSA) held an introductory session with stakeholders from Pakistan’s pesticides and agro-chemicals sector in Islamabad, bringing together government officials, industry associations, and technical experts to discuss the new regulatory framework.
The consultation brought together the Ministry of National Food Security and Research, the NAFSA Board of Governors, the Pakistan Crop Protection Association, Croplife, pesticide manufacturers and importers, laboratory and academia representatives, and development partners. The new legal framework under the NAFSA Act, 2026, will replace the Agricultural Pesticides Ordinance, 1971 and its 1973 rules, introducing a modern, transparent, and digitally enabled regulatory regime.
Key Features of the New Regulatory Framework
The new regulatory framework introduces a modern governance structure with a Board of Governors overseeing science-based risk assessment for pesticides and agro-chemicals. NAFSA officials said the system will align Pakistan’s standards with international benchmarks, using technology to streamline compliance, trade facilitation, and product traceability across the supply chain.
From Gatekeeper to Enabler
NAFSA Chairman Ahmed Umair described the reform as a strategic shift in the authority’s role, moving from being a gatekeeper focused purely on input control to an enabler that links regulation with food safety and maximum residue limits (MRLs). He said the goal is to move the sector from an import-substitution mindset toward export orientation, helping Pakistani agricultural products meet international quality standards.
Director General Muhammad Imran Khan Mohmand added that transparency and digitalization would be central to the new system, with the framework designed to give exporters and manufacturers greater confidence in a predictable, science-based regulatory environment. Industry representatives at the session welcomed the reform, noting that a modernized approach could open new export markets for Pakistan’s agro-chemical products while ensuring stronger food safety compliance domestically.
