OIC-COMSTECH to Host International Roundtable on Unlocking Agricultural Carbon Markets in Islamabad

Islamabad, August 24, 2026 — OIC-COMSTECH, in collaboration with SAWiE Ecosystems Ltd., will organize an International Roundtable and Technical Dialogue titled “Unlocking Agricultural Carbon Markets: Climate-Smart Solutions for a Resilient Future” at its Secretariat in Islamabad. The hybrid event will bring together government officials, researchers, agribusinesses, and farming stakeholders to discuss pathways for transforming climate-smart agriculture into viable carbon market opportunities.

Background

Agriculture remains central to food security, livelihoods, exports, and economic growth across Pakistan and many other OIC member states. At the same time, agricultural activities — including rice cultivation, livestock production, synthetic fertilizer use, and on-farm energy consumption — contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions. This dual role positions agriculture as both a major source of climate risk and a critical opportunity for climate action, making the transition toward climate-smart and low-carbon agriculture an urgent priority for the region.

Carbon markets have increasingly emerged as a mechanism to help translate emissions reductions into financial value, offering farmers and agricultural stakeholders new incentives to adopt sustainable practices. However, unlocking this potential requires clear policy frameworks, technical capacity, and coordination among governments, researchers, financial institutions, and the private sector — the gap this Roundtable aims to address.

Event Details

• Organized by: OIC-COMSTECH
• In collaboration with: SAWiE Ecosystems Ltd.
• Date: 24 August 2026
• Time: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
• Venue: 3rd Floor, COMSTECH Secretariat, Islamabad
• Format: Hybrid (in-person for Rawalpindi/Islamabad residents, with online participation available)
• Registration: forms.gle/ptAGp34DYNSidAu77

Objectives

The Roundtable aims to convene government representatives, industry players, financial institutions, researchers, and farming stakeholders around a shared agenda for agricultural decarbonization. It will build common understanding of how nature-based and climate-smart solutions can be translated into carbon assets and verified emissions reductions, while exploring pathways, integrity safeguards, and equitable benefit-sharing mechanisms for bringing agricultural carbon projects to market under Pakistan’s Carbon Market Policy Guidelines and Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.

Key Themes and Program

The technical dialogue will cover six key themes: climate-smart agriculture, sustainable rice production and carbon markets, climate-smart irrigation, nature-based solutions, regenerative agriculture and carbon markets, and agricultural carbon markets under Article 6. The detailed program will feature expert presentations and panel discussions on carbon markets, sustainable rice production, climate-smart irrigation, nature-based solutions, regenerative agriculture, methane reduction, and biochar.

Who Should Attend

The event is designed for a broad range of stakeholders, including:

• Government officials and policymakers working in agriculture, climate change, environment, food security, and finance
• Agricultural researchers and scientists
• Agribusinesses and private-sector organizations
• Agri-tech and climate-smart agriculture companies
• Farmers, farmer associations, and cooperatives
• Development partners and international organizations

Contacts

For further information and participation, interested parties can reach out to:

• Dr. Khalid Mahmood, Founder, SAWiE Ecosystems — khalid.mahmood@sawie.net
• Ms. Khazima Muazim, Senior Program Manager, OIC-COMSTECH — khazima@comstech.org

Conclusion

As Pakistan and other OIC member states work to balance agricultural productivity with climate commitments, this Roundtable offers a timely platform to align policy, science, and market mechanisms around agricultural decarbonization. By bringing together diverse stakeholders — from policymakers to farmers — the event aims to lay the groundwork for practical, equitable pathways into agricultural carbon markets, strengthening both climate resilience and export competitiveness for the region’s farming sector.