On Nov. 12-13, the 6th Global Forum of Leaders for Agricultural Science and Technology (GLAST) was held in Chengdu. On the afternoon of Nov. 12, IPP-CAAS hosted the parallel event “A Workshop on Monitoring and Control of Transboundary Crop Pests”. Liu Xianwu, Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), attended the workshop and delivered welcome speech. About fifty international and national delegates from International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Centre for Agricultural Bioscience International (CABI), University of Neuchâtel (Switzerland), Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, French National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA), BSMR Agricultural University (Bangladesh), Ohio State University (USA), Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Sichuan University, Citrus Research Institute of CAAS, etc., attended the workshop. Prof. Zhou Xueping, DG of IPP-CAAS hosted the opening ceremony and delivered keynote presentation.

Vice President Liu Xianwu pointed out that transboundary crop insect pests and plant diseases are key biological factors to constrain agricultural production. And he said “From a global view, the continuous spread and frequent invasion oftransboundary agricultural pests are being more and more significant, and no country can be free of these threats. China is a big agricultural country, and agriculture serves as a key sector in national economic development. On this basis, CAAS as the national agricultural academy on innovation and technical development, we should shoulder the burden, and will work more actively with other global partners through the establishment of cooperation mechanisms and projects, to cope with global challenges, strengthening the international cooperation on the research of crop pests. The international cooperation on transboundary agricultural pests will therefore has great strategic significance, not only to promote the scientific and technological progress of agricultural pest prevention and control, and level up the capacity for crop pest management, but also facilitate the global trade of agricultural products and safeguard the agricultural biosecurity.” Vice President Liu encouraged IPP-CAAS to build closer partnership and more effective communications with the participating international organizations, together pay attention to the control of transboundary crop pests. He added: “It is important for you to carry out long-term, regular and efficient cooperation through personnel training and exchange visits of scientists, which will contribute to sustainable development of regional and global agriculture.”

The workshop had three sessions, including 10 presentations, chaired by Prof. Chen Julian, Director of the Department of International Cooperation and Graduate Students, Prof. Li Yunhe, Deputy Director of the Department of Biotechnology for Plant Protection, and Prof. Zhang Feng, Director of CABI East-Asia, respectively. The speakers reported their research progress on major transboundary insect pests and plant diseases including fall army worms, wheat blast, citrus Huanglongbing, banana wilt, and shared experiences and updated information on the occurrence and management of these pests.

At the end of the presentations, DG Zhou Xueping hosted the discussion session. All delegates joined the discussion on interesting topics such as how to share information quickly and effectively, how to control the outbreak of majortransboundary pests by international collaborations, etc. All international organizations agreed on the terms of the International Partnership for Cooperation on Transboundary Crop Pests Monitoring and Control (IPC-TCPM). DG Zhou Xueping, representing IPP-CAAS, signed bilateral IPC-TCPM with representatives from 7 international partners including CIMMYT, CABI, University of Neuchâtel, Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, INRA, BSMR Agricultural University, Ohio State University.

It is known that CAAS announced the International Agricultural Science Program at the close ceremony of GLAST-2019. The purpose is to encourage and support more bilateral and multilateral international cooperation and collaborative research, which will help enhance the S & T innovation level and build a community of common destiny in agricultural science and technology. One of the priority topics in the International Agricultural Science Program is Agricultural Pests. The workshop on Monitoring and Control of Transboundary Crop Pests was held in a very timely manner, and was an important measure for extending international cooperation partners and innovating S & T exchange platforms.            

By Tian Fang (tianfang@caas.cn)