On May 15, Prof. Chen Mengshan, Secretary of Leading Party Group of CAAS, met with the delegation led by Ms. Begum Matia Chowdhury, Minister of Agriculture of Bangladesh. Both parties exchanged views on consolidating further collaboration.


Chen briefed the delegation the achievements of CAAS gained over the decades and the Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Programme (ASTIP) currently undertaken by CAAS. He stressed the important role of the agricultural S&T has played in China’s economic transition, extension of agricultural industry chain, balanced development of agriculture and society. He especially introduced China’s development target on agricultural environment and resources administration, and agricultural products safety. Chen reiterated that CAAS highly values the cooperation with Bangladesh agricultural scientific research institutions which had been witnessed by signing of MOU on agricultural S&T cooperation between CAAS and Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council in 2008. He expressed willingness to enhance future cooperation in areas of breeding of rice, vegetable and potato with high yield potential, mutual personnel training, joint research and joint management of cross-border plant and animal diseases and pests. He added that both sides could conduct the suggested cooperation under the framework of the inter-governmental cooperation agreements.

Begum Matia Chowdhury said that Bengladesh is facing great challenges in agricultural development and food security due to its limited land resource and large population. She wished to learn the experience from China in the breeding of high-yield, high-quality, stress resistant rice and enhance cooperation with CAAS in the areas of biotechnology, agricultural machinery and capacity building.

The delegation visited the National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement and National Agricultural Science and Technology Demonstration Park after the meeting.