- From
-
Published on
18.07.24
In a significant step toward strengthening global food security and sustainable agricultural practices, CGIAR and the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) have agreed to cooperate on enhancing agricultural research, promoting crop genetic resources, and improving South-South cooperation.
CGIAR and CAAS signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on May 31, 2024, in Beijing. The partnership now aims to address pressing challenges in global food systems, agricultural transformation, and rural development through collaborative research and innovation.
A Strategic Collaboration
Over the past four decades, China’s agricultural sector has made impressive strides, yet it currently faces challenges with environmental sustainability and a declining comparative advantage in the international market. The MoU aims to tackle these issues by leveraging the strengths of both organizations.
“Working more closely together, we believe that with science, we can tackle the most urgent challenges for China and the world,” said Ismahane Elouafi, Executive Managing Director of CGIAR. “We share a vision of a sustainable food future with CAAS, and this MoU is a step towards making that vision a reality.”
Building on Decades of Collaboration
The collaboration between China and CGIAR dates back to the Green Revolution in the 1970s, with China officially joining CGIAR in 1984. Initially focused on introducing new crop varieties and building capacity, the partnership expanded to include a broader range of crops and livestock. These efforts have led to significant achievements over the past 40 years, particularly in wheat and maize improvement.
Joint research on wheat has increased China’s national wheat output by 10.7 million tons, valued at $3.4 billion. Improved crop varieties now demonstrate higher resistance to common crop diseases affecting China, like powder mildew and yellow rust. Agricultural practices developed through this collaboration have also reduced tillage, improved water use efficiency, and lowered production costs.
The new MoU aims to reinvigorate the partnership by exploring new channels of cooperation and building on past learnings.
Focus of the Agreement
The agreement between CGIAR and CAAS is structured around mutual commitments to achieve shared goals and outlines a comprehensive framework to enhance agricultural research, development, and outreach. This includes expanding CGIAR’s research capabilities in China; fostering South-South cooperation; supporting joint research projects in food security, sustainable development, agri-food system transformation, rural non-farm development, trade, investment, and macroeconomics; and seeking external funding for impactful initiatives.
The agreement aims to leverage the strengths of both organizations to ensure that critical insights reach those who can implement and benefit from them most.
“CGIAR is the most important global partner for CAAS.” remarked Wu Kongming, President of CAAS. “The two sides have significant achievements over the past forty years. CAAS looks forward to maintaining close contact with a reformed and revitalized One CGIAR, continuing to deepen the strategic partnership between both parties.”
One of the primary projects outlined in the agreement is From Genome to Phenome: Deciphering Crop Genetic Resources (G2P). This 10-year initiative, involving CGIAR, China, and 25 global other partners, aims to enhance crop productivity, resilience, and sustainability by establishing a comprehensive network to map the genotypes and phenotypes of crop genetic resources on a large scale.
“This will drive much needed innovations in plant breeding, as well as nurture a new generation of plant scientists, especially in the global South, where the challenges facing farmers are the greatest,” remarked Elouafi, addressing the G2P General Assembly as the new G2P Council President.
For CGIAR, the aim is to benefit the world’s poorest populations by focusing on low-income farmers, consumers, SMEs, and local communities in low- and middle-income countries. A priority will be ensuring that data and germplasm exchange are equitable and transparent, adhering to international guidelines and institutional principles. Additionally, the partnership emphasizes inclusivity, providing opportunities for new partners to join and contribute to common goals, creating a critical mass for impactful change.
Benefits and Commitment
This partnership is considered a critical move towards eliminating hunger, improving food security, fostering sustainable development, and addressing climate change to facilitate achieving the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
It sets the stage for a future where innovation and partnership can transform food systems for the better, not only in China, but also internationally. As CGIAR and CAAS embark on this new era of collaboration, the potential for positive global impact is immense.
Main image: CGIAR and CAAS sign a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on May 31, 2024, in Beijing, China. Source: CAAS