The four Working Groups (WGs) will each lead a workstream, covering the following:

    -Application of research and better communications tools to improve soil and crop nutrient     management and lower non-point source pollution.

    -Expanding use of agricultural biomass & livestock manure for biogas, liquid biofuels and     organic fertiliser production

    -Addressing the interface between agriculture and climate change, including the way     agriculture will be impacted by, and therefore need to adapt to, climate change, and the     ways in which agriculture contributes to greenhouse gas emissions.This will include     maximising the potential contributions of (i) and (ii) to climate change adaptation and     mitigation, and helping to ensure that policies on other agricultural issues also support     climate change objectives

    -Providing policy advice on how the concept of the circular economy can be applied to     agriculture by exploiting the opportunities for greater recycling, waste minimisation, and     more efficient use of water and other critical resources, as identified by (i), (ii) & (iii).

The WGs will be co-chaired by UK and Chinese experts with five (or more) members in each WG drawn from each country and supplemented by other national and international experts where appropriate. The SAIN Coordinators in the Secretariat Offices will be de facto members of the WGs. The WGs will function as a virtual network reaching out across both countries and with a rolling programme of well defined time-limited tasks.They will need to develop objectives – with associated activities – covering a period of around 18 months, and they will need to contribute each year to SAIN’s annual work plan, to be approved by the GB, to ensure that it clearly sets out their objectives and activities for the year. The membership of the WGs and the substance of their work may change in the future in line with the work plan approved by the GB. The co-chairs will be responsible for coordinating WG activities, and need to be able to commit themselves to devote adequate time to their role.

Key tasks for the WGs include:

• Reviewing issues in their respective work areas that are of common importance to China and the UK and identifying gaps in the current collaboration programme within three months of their establishment.
• Preparing proposals for programmes of work to tackle these (to be incorporated into SAIN’s annual work plan).
• Developing proposals for external funding to address the gaps, supported by the GB, for joint action.
• Implementing funded proposals using WG members and co-opted members and consultants as appropriate.
• Through appropriate policy analysis, and drawing upon the results of the above proposals and other ongoing work, submitting six-monthly and annual progress reports to the GB through the Secretariats.

The first two tasks in the list above should be completed by March/April 2009, and initial project proposals (the third task above) should also be developed by that time, so that project implementation begins in April 2009.

The SAIN GB will look to the WGs to provide advice on the priority issues to be tackled under each of the four topics listed in paragraph 11 above, propose tasks to address these, and to contribute to an annual work plan.

The WGs should take account of two general requirements when preparing their initial recommendations to the GB regarding the most urgent technology and policy gaps to fill. First, they should take account of the aims and priorities of the SDD, China’s 11th 5 year Plan, and the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Secondly, each WG should take account of the synergies between the objectives and activities of the other WGs, and in particular how their results can help justify or formulate actions in the areas covered by the other WGs. This should be achieved where appropriate and whenever possible by cross-representation between WGs to promote early identification of issues and opportunities of a generic nature or which require joint action.

With support from the Secretariat Offices, it is expected that each WG will produce:

• A review of the main technology and policy gaps in their specified working area.
• Recommendations and a programme of work to address these gaps, which will contribute to SAIN’s overall annual work plan.
• Project proposal(s) for submitting to funding agencies.
• Six-monthly, annual and end-of-project reports.
• Project briefing for public information.

Reporting

The co-chairs will, on behalf of the WG, report to the GB via the Secretariat Offices.They will contribute to six-monthly and annual reports which summarise progress against SAIN’s annual work plan, for approval by the GB and for circulation to all SAIN partners.