China-UK Sustainable Agriculture Innovation Network (SAIN) 2011 Summing-up Meeting of Chinese Side and Private Sector Engagement Seminar Summary

The 2011 Summing-up meeting of Sustainable Agriculture Innovation Network (hereinafter referred to as SAIN) of Chinese side was held in Wuxi Jiangsu from October 14th to 16th. Sun Guifeng, administrative researcher of Department of International Cooperation of MOA, presented the meeting and delivered a speech. Yuanfang, deputy director of International Exchange Center of MOA, and Dai Xudong, deputy director of Foreign Affairs Office of Jiangsu Provincial Commission of Rural Affairs, as well as Xu Guoming, deputy director of Wuxi Municipal Commission of Rural Affairs gave their speeches respectively at the opening ceremony. Participants involved China Secretariat and the representatives from four working groups. In order to practice “Private Sector Engagement Strategy”, the representatives from private sectors such as Syngenta China, Sino-Arab Chemical Fertilizer Co. Ltd (SACF), British Sugar Overseas (BSO), Africa Food Fund(AFF), Henan Sanli New Energy Co. Ltd, Jiangsu Tianniang Agricultural Technology Co. Ltd were also invited to take part in the meeting. The meeting was co-chaired by Cai Chunhe, Director of International Exchange Center of MOA, and Tong Yan’an from China secretariat office of SAIN.

In the meeting, the delegates of four working groups reported the progress of their projects, and presented the problems in implementing the projects, such as fund shortage and poor communication, and put forward the future working plans.

Professor Tong Yan’an, on behalf of SAIN Secretariat (China), summarized the working progress and noted that “Private Sector Engagement Strategy” had provided a framework for the cooperation between SAIN and private sectors, and the cooperation should be strengthened.

The participants introduced the development of their enterprises and expressed a strong interest in collaborating with SAIN, wishing to engage in Sino-UK agricultural cooperation. Based on that, the experts of four working groups of SAIN and the delegates of private sectors held a discussion.

At the end of the meeting, Sun Guifeng from Department of International Cooperation, MOA brought forward several suggestions: First, both sides are supposed to further exploit the potential for cooperation. Highly supplementary in agriculture and with great potential in cooperation, both sides are advisable to expand the scale of cooperation, extend the field of collaboration, and enhance the cooperation on the following areas as food security, new energy, climate change and fishery and animal husbandry. Second, more than two years since SAIN founded, many projects have been implemented and periodical achievements have been made. In the years ahead, great importance should be given to the transformation and utilization of sci-tech research fruits so as to undo the practical problems in agricultural production. Third, SAIN is required to work positively to promote the synergy with private sectors, and achieve win-win results through cooperation. Fourth, China Secretariat Office of SAIN should actively coordinate the cooperation with other sectors, and apply for international projects, diversifying the sources of fund. China Secretariat Office should not only conduct the cooperation with domestic enterprises, but play a positive role in financing by making best use of the fund from related organizations in UK. Fifth, the Liaison Office in Beijing should continue keeping close contact with the secretariats of both sides, properly coordinate the work. The Department of International Cooperation of MOA will continue to support the work of the Liaison Office in next year. The heads of four groups arranged the work in next year and are required to report timely working fruits and existed problems.

At last, the delegates visited Freshwater Fisheries Research Center of Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences and held a discussion with relevant personnel.