Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences
December 23, 2011
Vice Minister and President of CAAS Li Jiayang met with Percy Misika, FAO Representative to China, DPRK and Mongolia, Brett Rierson, Director of the WFP China office, and Sun Yinhong, IFAD Country Presence Officer, on December 22. The two sides exchanged views on strengthening cooperation in agricultural science and technology.
Li stated that FAO, WFP, and IFAD play important roles in global agricultural development, food security, and poverty alleviation. CAAS regards the three UN agencies as key partners and has already established sound cooperation.
China is a large agricultural country. Since the reform and opening up in 1978, agriculture grows fast and gains remarkable achievements. An indispensable driving force is science and technology.
As the national research institute in agricultural science and technology, CAAS has made great contributions to agricultural development in many sectors such as development of new varieties and breeds, control of major animal diseases, bio-technology, sustainable use of agricultural resources, agricultural information and rural economic policies.
CAAS would strengthen cooperation with FAO, WFP, and IFAD to share best practices with other developing countries in order to fuel sustainable agricultural development and food security worldwide.
Guests recognized the advantages CAAS enjoys as the national agricultural research institute in human, technical and material resources. They also emphasized the importance China holds in sharing experience on poverty reduction and food security with other developing countries. Cooperation with CAAS would greatly support the attainment of the UN millennium goals.
They thanked CAAS for past support and expressed willingness to take this visit as the chance to solidify the cooperative relations.
The two sides also exchanged views on issues of common interests such as reinforcing South-South Cooperation in African countries, and the International High-level Forum of Presidents from Academies of Agricultural Sciences next year.
Senior officials including Tang Huajun, Vice President of CAAS attended the meeting.