The 14th Annual Steering Committee Meeting of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA)-CAB International (CABI ) Joint Laboratory for Bio-Safety and the 4th Annual Meeting of MARA-CABI European Laboratory was held online on March 23rd, 2022. The Meeting was hosted by Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (IPPCAAS), CABI East and Southeast Asia Center, and CABI Switzerland Center. High-level officials from both sides attended the meeting, including Mr. Peng Tingjun, Deputy Director General, Department of International Cooperation, MARA, Prof. Sun Tan, Vice President of CAAS, Prof. Zhou Xueping, Director General of IPPCAAS, Dr. Ulrich Kuhlmann, Executive Director Global Operations of CABI, and Dr. Zhang Qiaoqiao, CABI’s Director of Memberships. The opening session was chaired by Prof. Hao Weiping, DDG of Department of International Cooperation, CAAS.

Peng Tingjun, also the Chair of the Joint Lab Steering Committee for 2021, emphasized in his welcome address that the “Ministry of Agriculture (MOA)-CABI Joint Laboratory” launched in 2008 was an important innovation and breakthrough for the collaboration between the two sides. He recognized the achievements of the Joint Lab and European Lab made in the past years, and especially the significant progress made in project implementation, platform building, and education/training in 2021 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. He also highlighted some policy and funding opportunities for the Joint Labs to play more important roles in promoting the development of agricultural science and technology in China. He expected the collaboration between China and CABI will be further strengthened in line with relevant policies in the 14th Five-Year Plan for International Cooperation in Agriculture and Rural Affairs, which was released in January, 2022.

Prof. Sun Tan stated that the Joint Lab under the support of MARA, has become one of the top international cooperation platforms within the Chinese agricultural research and development community. He suggested that the Joint Lab should continue to develop synergy with some important initiatives of China’s, for example, Monitoring and Control of Major Transboundary Diseases and Pests under International Science and Technology Innovation Programme of CAAS. “As an important international partner in this project, CABI, through the Joint Lab framework, will be in a good position to promote high-quality implementation and attract participation of more CABI member countries as the project continues to advance in depth,” said Prof. Sun.

Zhou Xueping and Ulrich Kuhlmann, co-directors of the Joint Lab, reported the 2021 summary and 2022 work plan, which was reviewed and approved by the Steering Committee. Important development strategies for the Joint Lab and the European Lab were proposed and discussed during the Meeting.

The convening of the 14th Joint Lab’s Steering Committee Meeting is of great significance to deepen the collaboration between China and CABI. The two sides will work jointly to address global challenges, improve food security and agricultural production security, and eventually promote sustainable agricultural development.

                                                                   By Tian Fang (tianfang@caas.cn)