Agricultural science and technology is expected to play a greater role in international cooperation as countries face mounting pressures from climate change, resource constraints and disruptions to food supply chains, experts said on Monday at a global forum in Hainan province.
The eighth Global Forum of Leaders for Agricultural Science and Technology, held in Sanya under the theme "Shaping Future Agriculture with Science and Innovation", brought together agricultural research leaders and experts to discuss how scientific collaboration can help address shared challenges and promote sustainable food systems.
Sun Tan, vice president of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, said climate change, biodiversity loss and regional conflicts had made ensuring food security and achieving sustainable agricultural development increasingly challenging.
Food security is a common undertaking for the world, and no country can stand alone, he said, stressing that technological innovation is fundamental to addressing these challenges.
CAAS would leverage platforms such as GLAST to help ensure that cutting-edge agricultural technologies benefit not only early innovators but also countries worldwide, turning scientific advances into a driving force for global food systems, he said.
Initiated by CAAS in 2006 and jointly organized with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research and the International Atomic Energy Agency, GLAST marks its 20th anniversary this year, having held eight editions.
CAAS called for further cooperation in advancing the G2P international mega-science program, which focuses on identifying crop genotypes and field phenotypes to discover elite germplasm and key genes. "The initiative aims to generate globally shared genetic resources and large-scale omics datasets over the next decade," he said.
The academy will also expand joint research through the FAO-CAAS innovation platform in genomic breeding, climate change, digital agriculture and biosafety, Sun said.
China has established bilateral agricultural science and technology dialogue mechanisms with more than 60 countries in recent years, while developing cooperation platforms and joint laboratories, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.
Joint research has also expanded into areas including germplasm exchange, cross-border pest and disease prevention, and climate-smart agriculture, helping countries strengthen their collective response to global agricultural challenges.
Pierre Venter, vice-chancellor of Massey University in New Zealand, said agricultural systems across the Asia-Pacific region faced interconnected challenges, including changing climate conditions and mounting pressure on soil and water resources.
Collaboration among Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation economies could help bring together their complementary strengths in climate-resilient farming, biosecurity, agricultural research and food safety, he said.
"We also need to reduce food loss and waste throughout the value chain," Venter said, adding that doing so would help countries make better use of the land, water, energy and other resources already invested in food production.
He added that sustainability should also generate economic benefits for farmers, particularly small-scale producers who need better access to knowledge, technology and finance.
Norhashila Binti Hashim, a professor in the department of biological and agricultural engineering at Universiti Putra Malaysia, said international agricultural innovation should be closely aligned with farmers' needs from the earliest stages of research.
Universities, research institutions, agricultural extension officers and industry partners should work together to identify practical problems, develop technologies and conduct field trials across different locations and seasons, she said.
"Success means sustained use that improves farm income, resource efficiency and the ability to manage risk," Norhashila said, adding that research achievements should be assessed by their tangible benefits to farming communities.
She said demonstration farms, shared equipment services and continued technical support could make agricultural innovations more accessible. Cooperation between universities and industry could also help equip graduates with the interdisciplinary skills required by modern agriculture.
