Lahore, September 7, 2026: A Japanese delegation from Nagase Viita Co., Ltd., Japan, visited the Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore, to explore opportunities for academic and industrial collaboration in the field of climate-smart agriculture and sustainable crop production.

During the visit, the delegation held a productive meeting with Prof. Dr. M. Bilal Chattha, Dr. Sajid Ali, and Dr. Adnan Zahid from the Department of Agronomy. The discussions focused on developing collaborative research initiatives and identifying innovative solutions to address the growing challenges posed by climate change to agriculture.

A key area of discussion was the potential utilization of trehalose, a naturally occurring sugar with promising applications in enhancing plant tolerance against environmental stresses. The participants discussed the potential role of trehalose in mitigating the adverse effects of climate change, particularly under drought, heat stress, salinity, and other abiotic stress conditions affecting crop productivity.

Both sides emphasized the importance of strengthening collaboration between academia and industry to develop climate-smart and sustainable agricultural solutions. The proposed collaboration may provide opportunities for joint research, technology transfer, field experimentation, capacity building, and the development of innovative agricultural products and practices.

The meeting concluded with a mutual commitment to explore future collaborative opportunities between Nagase Viita Co., Ltd., Japan, and the Department of Agronomy, University of the Punjab, aimed at promoting sustainable agriculture and improving crop resilience under changing climatic conditions.

The Department of Agronomy appreciated the visit of the Japanese delegation and expressed optimism that this collaboration would open new avenues for international research partnerships and innovative climate-smart agricultural solutions.