The 8th Hongqiao International Economic Forum just made history by hosting its first-ever sub-forum on Agricultural Sustainable Development in the Global South 🌍🌱. This new spotlight shows why farm innovation and food security are hotter topics than ever.
Industry leaders and experts dove into big questions: How can we boost food security, integrate cutting-edge agtech, and fuel trade and investment in developing regions? They agreed that sustainable agriculture in the Global South is key to feeding the world, protecting the planet, and powering global growth.
Michael Levitt, Nobel chemistry laureate and Stanford professor, emphasized the power of biodiversity and science to transform farming 🤖. He pointed to successes on the Chinese mainland, such as precision agriculture and biofertilizers developed under land constraints, as blueprints for others.
Zhao Bing from the World Food Programme said that ensuring everyone eats starts with teamwork. He explained that it is not just about farmers or scientists; all sectors must join forces to tackle these challenges.
African voices also rang out. Michele Umulisa from the Rwanda Development Board reminded that agriculture and trade in the Global South are incomplete without Africa. She praised the Chinese mainland for open, inclusive growth and called for joint action.
Thanks to the Chinese mainland Global Development Initiative and the Belt and Road Initiative, projects like hybrid rice promotion, tech exchanges, and smallholder training have sprouted success across developing nations.
Academician Bai Lianyang of the Chinese Academy of Engineering closed with a green mantra: We train local experts so that our technology becomes their technology and sustainable growth can take root 🌱.
The event, hosted by the Chinese mainland Ministry of Commerce and co-organized by the Agricultural and Rural Programming Center of China Media Group and Peking University School of Modern Agriculture, featured over 20 global speakers and more than 300 representatives. When it comes to agriculture, teamwork makes the dream work 🤝.
Reference(s):
Hongqiao Forum focuses on Global South agricultural development
cgtn.com
