For Pakistan's Fairtrade certified rice farmers, formal access to government agricultural research institutions has historically been limited. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed on 30 April 2026 between Fairtrade Network of Asia and Pacific Producers (Fairtrade NAPP) and the Rice Research Institute (RRI), Kala Shah Kaku, begins to address this gap.

The signing was held at the RRI campus in Kala Shah Kaku, Punjab, and brought together management representatives from three Fairtrade certified rice producer organizations, Hope Farmers Association, Masoom Support Foundation, and Atlas Fairtrade Farms Association, alongside researchers and scientists from RRI and Fairtrade NAPP staff.

Pakistan currently has five Fairtrade certified rice producer organizations (small producer organizations, or SPOs). The absence of formal collaboration between government agricultural research bodies and these cooperatives has been a recognized challenge. This MoU is a formal step toward changing that, creating a structured basis for joint work on research, training, and value chain development.

Key Benefits and Outcomes for Fairtrade Rice Producers

Through this collaboration, Pakistan's Fairtrade certified rice farmers and their organizations gain access to one of Pakistan's most established agricultural research institutions. The Rice Research Institute, functioning under the Agriculture Department, Government of Punjab, has been at the centre of rice research since 1926. Over nearly a century, it has developed more than 33 rice varieties, including the globally recognized Basmati 370, and built strong expertise across plant breeding, agronomy, soil chemistry, post-harvest technology, and agricultural economics.

• Access to climate-resilient and high-yielding rice varieties

RRI's research programmes, developed over nearly a century, will be made accessible to Fairtrade certified rice farmer groups in Pakistan. Under the MoU, both parties will collaborate on the development, testing, and dissemination of improved varieties suited to current climate and soil conditions in Punjab, including stress-tolerant varieties that support stable yields despite changing weather patterns.

•  Practical training on sustainable cultivation and post-harvest practices

The collaboration will design and deliver joint training programmes and farmer field schools covering best agronomic practices, water-saving techniques, integrated pest and disease management, and post-harvest quality improvement. This training is directly aligned with what smallholder farmers need to improve the quality of their crop, reduce inputs, and meet the standards required for Fairtrade certification and international markets.

• Strengthened seed systems for smallholder farmers

Through joint work on seed development and dissemination, Fairtrade rice farmer groups in Pakistan will gain improved access to pre-basic, basic, and certified seed systems. Access to quality seed has often been an underserved area for smallholder-led cooperatives, and this collaboration creates a formal pathway for addressing it.

• Institutional and organizational strengthening for producer organizations

Producer organizations will be able to draw on RRI's advisory services and scientific expertise alongside Fairtrade NAPP's support for governance and compliance. This includes improving business planning, organizational efficiency, and Fairtrade certification compliance,  building cooperatives better placed to manage challenges in the rice value chain.

• A new model of research-producer collaboration in Pakistan

A recognized challenge in Pakistan has been the limited formal collaboration between government agricultural research institutions and Fairtrade certified producers. This MoU creates a formal and structured basis for that collaboration, and could serve as a model for similar partnerships across the region.

Farmers’ Voices

"Signing an MoU with Rice Research Institute is a step towards rice farmers gaining better productivity, promoting sustainable farming practices, improving farmers' livelihoods, and strengthening rice value chains."

- Abdul Majeed, Hope Farmers Association, Pakistan

"Such collaborations are vital for building a prosperous and resilient agricultural future for our rice farmers in Pakistan. We extend heartfelt congratulations to NAPP and RRI and look forward to joint endeavours for improving rice cultivation and the skills of farmers in rice production."

- Hafiz Muhammad Ismael, Atlas Fairtrade Farms Association, Pakistan

What Comes Next

Following the MoU signing, Fairtrade NAPP and RRI will work together to develop specific Terms of Reference for each joint initiative. Each programme will be agreed upon by both parties before implementation begins. The immediate focus is on planning joint training programmes for farmers, joint events, and campaigns related to rice cultivation in Pakistan.

The collaboration also creates a basis for joint research proposals and resource mobilization, an area of particular importance given the challenges smallholder-led cooperatives face in accessing agricultural research support and funding. Both parties will work toward identifying opportunities for donor-funded projects aligned with the goals of this MoU.

While the MoU creates a strong foundation, translating this into concrete outcomes for Pakistan's Fairtrade rice farmers will depend on the pace of implementation and the ability of both institutions to develop programmes that meaningfully reach farmers at the cooperative level. The challenge of building sustained collaboration between government research bodies and Fairtrade producers remains, and this MoU is the beginning of that process. Fairtrade NAPP will continue to work alongside these organizations through the next steps.