On June 25, the kickoff meeting for the China-Norway international cooperation project "Smart Agriculture Technologies and Biochar to Promote Food Security, Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions, and Foster Bio-Circular Economy (SINOGRAIN III)" was held in Beijing. The project, co-hosted by the Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (IPPCAAS) and the Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO), aims to enhance global food security, significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and promote the sustainable development of the bio-circular economy through innovative applications of smart agriculture technologies and biochar. The launch of this project, at such a special historical juncture, symbolizes deep cooperation between China and Norway in the field of agricultural science and technology and serves as a tribute to the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Ms. Anya E. H. Øijordsbakken, First Secretary of the Commercial Section of the Norwegian Embassy in China, Dr. Ivar H. Kristensen, Director General of NIBIO, and Mr. Liu Shuichang, Deputy Director General of IPPCAAS, among other leaders, attended the meeting. Dr. Tian Fang, Deputy Director of the Division of Research and International Cooperation, chaired the meeting.

Prof. Liu Shuichang delivered a welcome speech on behalf of IPPCAAS, emphasizing the importance and significance of the project, stating that IPPCAAS will fully support its implementation to ensure high-quality completion. He also expressed hope that this project would further promote cooperation and exchange between China and Norway in the field of agricultural science and technology. Ms. Anya expressed the Norwegian government's high regard for China-Norway agricultural science and technology cooperation and warmly congratulated the successful launch of the "SINOGRAIN III" project. She emphasized the broad prospects for cooperation between Norway and China in the field of agricultural science and technology and hoped that both sides could continue to deepen cooperation to jointly address global food security and environmental challenges. Dr. Kristensen reviewed the 20-year history of cooperation between NIBIO and China, noting that extensive cooperation has been carried out in the fields of agricultural biotechnology and bioeconomy over the past two decades, yielding fruitful results. The launch of the "SINOGRAIN III" project marks a new beginning for cooperation and a beautiful expectation for future collaboration.

Project Leader of the Norwegian chapter, Jihong Liu Clarke, provided a detailed report on the overall situation of the project, covering the research background, research content, task breakdown, and schedule. Other project team members discussed task assessment indicators and implementation plans in detail.

The project is co-hosted by the IPPCAAS and NIBIO, with participation from the Institute of Crop Sciences of CAAS, China Agricultural University, and Nanjing Agricultural University. Project Leader of the Chinese chapter, Professor Liu Xingang, and more than 40 project members attended the meeting. The kickoff meeting not only marked the beginning of new in-depth cooperation between China and Norway in the field of agricultural science and technology but also symbolized the further deepening of the friendship between the two countries.