The Strategies for the Promotion of Conservation Agriculture in Asia and Pacific Regional Online Meeting was successfully held

In order to promote the development of Conservation Agriculture (CA) in the Asia-Pacific region and strengthen the exchanges of CA in this region, China Agricultural University held the Strategies for the Promotion of Conservation Agriculture in Asia and Pacific Regional Online Meeting on May 18^th, 2021. More than 60 experts, scholars and agricultural machinery companies, from Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Centre for Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization (CSAM) of UN-ESCAP, European Conservation Agriculture Federation (ECAF), African Conservation Tillage Network (ACT) and China participated in the meeting. The conference focused on the development and strategies of CA around the world, shared and exchanged the successful experience of the implementation of CA, and provided reference for the future development of CA in the Asia-Pacific region. The meeting was moderated by Professor Hongwen Li, who is from China Agricultural University, also the head of Conservation Tillage Research Centre (CTRC), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA), P. R. China.

Firstly, Dean Zhenghe Song from College of Engineering, China Agricultural University, and Professional Officer Rong Fu from Regional Office of FAO for China, delivered the opening remarks. Mr. Zhenghe Song discussed on food security issues in Asia-Pacific countries. He pointed out the current situation and problems of agricultural development and explained the importance and necessity of CA. Then, he introduced the CA progress of China and the contribution in CA by China Agricultural University. He called on everyone to work together to promote CA and contribute to ensuring global food security. Ms. Rong Fu pointed out that CA is an advanced agricultural technology and explained the advantages and benefits of CA. She affirmed China's achievements in the promotion and demonstration of CA.

The experts from FAO, ECAF, and ACT respectively gave presentations on the status, adoption and promotion of CA in the global, Eurasia, Latin America, Europe and Africa. They affirmed the role of Conservation Agriculture in preserving water and soil, restraining soil degradation and ensuring food security, discussing the problems existing in the implementation of CA in these areas, such as low recognition of farmers, lack of supporting equipment and policy support, etc. They pointed out that the promotion of CA needs the support of policy and the demonstration role of farmers.

CSAM focused on the problem of integrated straw management in the Asia-Pacific Region, providing advice and solutions, illustrating the successful cases of China and Vietnam integrated straw management pilot projects and prospecting the future development direction.

China Agricultural University introduced the implementation of CA in Asia and the important role of CA in the protection of black soil in northeast China and the importance of the government. Because of lacking of communication platform between different countries, there is limited knowledge of CA developments in other countries in the Asia-Pacific region. We are badly in need of FAO’s support to give play to the role of CA Alliance for Asia-Pacific (CAAAP), through strengthening international cooperation, technical exchange and experience sharing, improving machine performance, setting the unified standard, which can promote CA development in the Asia-Pacific region.

On this basis, the participating experts discussed "Future perspectives on promotion of CA in Asia and Pacific: How to strengthen the Conservation Agriculture Alliance for Asia-Pacific (CAAAP)". Yuji Niino, Land Management Officer of the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, reviewed the establishment process of Conservation Agriculture Alliance for Asia-Pacific (CAAAP) in 2013, and expressed his happiness and support for the alliance to continue its CA activities in the Asia-Pacific region. He said, "I hope CTRC of CAU can play a leading role in CAAAP, so that the alliance will play a more active role in the development of CA in this region." Josef Kienzle and Theodor Friedrich, project officers of FAO, stated that the CAAAP alliance plays an important role in promoting the common development of conservation agriculture in the Asia-Pacific region. CAAAP should be more active, and cooperation, exchanges and experience sharing should be strengthened to jointly promote the popularization and application of CA in this region.

The successful holding of the conference gave participants a deeper understanding of the development of CA in various regions of the world. It expanded their international vision, strengthened the exchange of information related to CA around the world, and made a positive contribution to the promotion and application of CA in the Asia-Pacific region.