From December 5th to 7th, the Chinese Academy of Tropical Agriculture Sciences (CATAS) successfully organized the Global Tropical Agriculture Innovation Conference in Sanya, Hainan. Nearly 300 representatives from government , scientific and educational institutions and enterprises of 29 countries as well as 13 international organizations participated in the conference, focusing on science and technology innovation to drive the development of tropical agriculture in the world, tropical agricultural resources and environment and crop efficient production system, tropical agriculture value chain enhancement and smart agriculture, etc., The aim is to strengthen the integration of global tropical agricultural science and technology and contribute to the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative.
Zhang Zhili, Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and Li Feng, Vice Governor of Hainan Provincial People's Government, attended the conference and delivered speeches, while Qu Dongyu, Director General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, and Ibrahim Adam Ahmed EI-Dukheri, Director General of the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development, delivered speeches via video.
Statements were made by relevant leaders of the Asian Department and the African Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD), China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA), the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Affairs of Maldives, the People's Government of Sanya, and the Malaysian Palm Oil Board(MPOB). Zhu Zuoyan, academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zou Xuexiao, academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering, Qian Qian, academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xie Daoxin, academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Felix Dapare Dakora, foreign Members of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, attended the conference. Huang Sanwen, President of Chinese Academy of Tropical Agriculture Sciences (CATAS), expressed his warm welcome and heartfelt thanks to the guests from all over the world, and the opening ceremony of the conference was presided over by Cui Pengwei, Secretary of the Leading Party Group of Chinese Academy of Tropical Agriculture Sciences(CATAS).
Mr. Zhang Zhili said that tropical agriculture is the pillar industry for the countries in tropics, and plays an important role in guaranteeing global food security and supply of major agricultural products. The Chinese government attaches to the development of tropical agriculture, and has stepped up efforts to promote scientific and technological innovation and industrial upgrading of tropical crops, and international cooperation in tropical agriculture has won wide response and recognition. China is willing to work with the tropical countries around the world to strengthen the exchange of policy information and resources, carry out joint research and development of common key technologies, accelerate the training of talents in tropical agricultural science and technology innovation and application, promote the in-depth integration of science and technology with the whole industrial chain, and help reduce hunger and poverty in tropical regions around the world and promote the sustainable development of tropical agriculture.
Li Jihua, Vice President of Chinese Academy of Tropical Agriculture Sciences(CATAS), chaired the promotion of global tropical agriculture achievements, and released the General Assembly Initiative, the Concept Book of the International Alliance for Science, Technology and Innovation in Tropical Agriculture, and the on-line launching of the journal “Tropical Agricultural Sciences”. Chinese Academy of Tropical Agriculture Sciences(CATAS) signed cooperation agreements with eight units, including the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture(IITA), the University of the West Indies, the National Agricultural Research Center of the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, the National Institute of Agricultural Research of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Ministry of Agriculture of the Democratic Republic of the Congo , the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock of the Solomon Islands, and Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences. This meeting fully demonstrated China's strong technology leadership in the field of global tropical agricultural science and technology, and initial formation of a global tropical agricultural science and technology synergistic cooperation structure strengthen the foundation of diplomacy by providing scientific and technological services to the countries around the world.
During the meeting, on behalf of China Zhang Zhili received the second batch of 23,500 date palm saplings donated by UAE Ambassador Hamadi on behalf of the UAE to China.
The conference set up the main forum and two sub-forums on five themes: science and technology innovation driving the development of tropical agriculture in the world, tropical agricultural resources and environment and efficient crop production system, animal production system in tropical environment, processing of tropical agricultural products and agricultural mechanization, and digital technology and informatization of tropical agriculture, and so on.
Selvaraju Ramasamy, Senior Agriculture Officer, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations; Qian Qian, Academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences; Zhao Bing, Representative of the United Nations World Food Programme in China；Joe Cornelius，CEO of Agricultural Innovation of Bill ＆Melinda Gates Foundation ,as well as 15 senior officials and experts from international organizations and scientific and educational institutions, such as the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD), Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), the International Bamboo and Rattan Organization (INBAR), Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC), Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI), University of the West Indies (UWI), China Agricultural University (CAU), Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences (CAFS), and Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences.
Experts from six international organizations such as FAO Platform for Tropical Agriculture, Bioversity International and Alliance Bioversity International(CIAT), International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), World Banana Forum, the African Academy of Sciences,Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International(CABI), as well as the experts from 17 countries,which includes Cambodia, Maldives, Samoa, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Pakistan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Australia, Saudi Arabia, , including Cambodia, Maldives, Samoa, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Pakistan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Australia, Saudi Arabia, New Zealand, Ecuador, Laos, Côte d'Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Vietnam, and from 4 domestic scientific and educational institutions, including the Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Nanjing Agricultural University and Nanchang University, have made 55 special reports on the healthy and sustainable production of main tropical crops such as rubber, coconut, banana, sugarcane, oil palm, date palm, durian, etc., the processing of high-value agricultural products, the innovation and application of smart farming technology, food safety and other aspects.
President Huang Sanwen and Vice President Li Jihua of the Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences also conducted bilateral talks to further cooperation with 11 institutions, including the French Agricultural Research Center for International Development(CIRAD), the Malaysian Palm Oil Board Official Portal (MPOB), and Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Affairs of the Maldives.
During the conference, there was an exhibition of global tropical agricultural technology products, and after that, the experts of delegation went to the Spice and Beverage Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences for research.
The meeting was hosted by the Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences with the support of Sanya Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau, Urban Administration bureau of Sanya Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City , Hainan Association for Science and Technology, and Bill＆ Melinda Gates Foundation.
