Pakistan’s new National Agri-Trade and Food Safety Authority (NAFSA) is moving closer to becoming operational as the government reviews its preparedness for a technology-driven platform designed to modernize agricultural imports and exports. The authority is expected to begin operations in the coming months and will introduce an artificial intelligence-powered digital system intended to replace several manual procedures currently associated with agricultural trade. Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Cheema chaired a meeting to assess NAFSA’s readiness, with discussions covering its digital infrastructure, governance arrangements, recruitment process and other requirements needed before the authority begins regular operations. The planned system is expected to provide a centralized platform for agricultural importers and exporters, bringing various processes into a single-window environment and reducing reliance on conventional paperwork.
A major component of NAFSA’s planned digital infrastructure will be an artificial intelligence-powered website featuring chatbot functionality to help traders and other stakeholders obtain information and assistance. The authority also plans to establish a dedicated helpline and official social media platforms to improve communication with businesses involved in agricultural imports and exports. Alongside these channels, NAFSA will introduce a digital inspection workflow for consignments. Under the proposed process, inspectors will conduct examinations without direct interaction with importers or clearing agents. Inspection reports will subsequently be subject to verification through third-party audits. The arrangement is intended to limit discretionary interactions during inspections and create a more accountable process for agricultural trade and food safety checks. By shifting these procedures to digital systems, the authority aims to make the handling of consignments more structured while giving traders access to clearer channels for regulatory information and support.
The government is also working on the staffing structure required to operate NAFSA as an independent authority. Recruitment is currently being carried out through an independent selection process, with market-based salaries being offered to attract professionals from the private sector. Newly recruited officers are receiving specialized training at the Customs Academy in Karachi, where they are being trained by national and international experts. NAFSA is currently being led by an acting Director General, while the recruitment process for a permanent chief executive from the private sector is underway. Employees from the Department of Plant Protection will provide limited transitional assistance during the authority’s initial phase of operations. The staffing and training measures are intended to prepare the organization for its new responsibilities while ensuring that personnel understand the regulatory and operational requirements connected with agricultural imports, exports and food safety oversight.
Ahad Cheema directed officials to maintain integrity, professionalism and compliance with applicable regulations from the first day of NAFSA’s operations. He also called for awareness campaigns to ensure importers, exporters and other stakeholders understand the authority’s new regulatory framework before the system becomes fully operational. The awareness effort will be important as businesses transition from existing manual procedures to the new single-window model and begin using NAFSA’s digital services, including its artificial intelligence-enabled website, chatbot, helpline and online inspection processes. The planned platform represents a broader shift toward using digital technology in the administration of agricultural trade, with the authority expected to bring regulatory services, inspection procedures and stakeholder communication into a more centralized system. As preparations continue, the government is focusing on completing NAFSA’s operational infrastructure, staffing and governance arrangements before the authority formally begins its functions in the coming months.
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