Li extended his sincere congratulations to Mr. Uri Ariel for taking his office as Israeli Agricultural Minister. He commended Israel’s achievements in water resources management, breeding technology, horticulture and other advanced technologies in food production, processing, storage and transportation. Under the context of rapid urbanization progress, it is imperative for China to improve the food productivity and utilization efficiencies of land, water and nutrients through generating and disseminating agricultural science and technology. There is great potential for bilateral cooperation in the aforesaid areas. He hoped that the two sides could strengthen collaboration to address challenges pertaining to food security and food safety and promote the sustainable and sound development of agriculture. Li also proposed the establishment of a joint laboratory on water management and efficiency to implement the proposal made by Mr. Han Changfu, the Agricultural Minister of China, during his visit to Israel last June.

Mr. Uri Ariel thanked Prof. Li for the warm welcome and spoke highly of China’s progress in Agricultural Science and Technology. He said Israel advocates the philosophy of trinity of land-water-people and values water as life. Hi-tech is then regarded as the key element for agricultural development in Israel. Ariel expressed the willingness to deal with the common challenges relating to natural resources, food security and food safety hand in hand with CAAS.

Before the meeting, the delegation visited the National Agricultural Science and Technology Demonstration Park of CAAS.
 

By Xu Ming
xuming@caas.cn