On Nov.20-22, the International Workshop on Climate Change and Integrated Dryland Agricultural Ecosystems was held in Beijing. The workshop was sponsored by the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), University of Western Australia, International Centre for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas (ICARDA), the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), the University of Sydney, Northwest Agricultural & Forestry University and Lanzhou University. More than 100 experts and scholars on dryland agriculture research, from China and abroad, participated in the workshop and shared their expertise and views on the theme of improving dryland agricultural productivity, while achieving synergy between agricultural production and eco-environmental quality. “Dryland agriculture plays a significant role in food security, environmental sustainability, poverty elimination and livelihoods improvements, therefore it is important to explore innovative solutions and identify best practices in coping with challenges and opportunities in the sustainable agricultural development in the arid and semi-arid areas.” said by Prof. Zhang Yanqing, Director General of Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture of CAAS.

To share the latest development and achievements in dryland agricultural ecosystem research, the workshop invited twenty-five eminent experts to make presentations on climate change and integrated dryland agricultural ecosystems. The presentations were followed by in-depth discussions on the trend of integrated development of agriculture, forestry and livestock systems under changes in climate condition. The workshop was successfully concluded by working out a cooperative framework for initiating and implementing programs on integrated dryland agricultural ecosystems.