Co-sponsored by the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), and Heilongjiang Provincial Government of China, the 3rd Global Forum of Leaders for Agricultural Science and Technology (GLAST-2010) was successfully held during August 12-14, 2010 in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China. More than 500 representatives, including leaders and leading scientists from over 80 national agricultural research institutions and international organizations attended the Forum.

The theme of the Forum was “Food Security-Role of Science & Technology and International Cooperation”. 19 speakers delivered reports at the plenary session and 24 speakers spoke at the 4 parallel sessions on Impact of Science and Technology through Policy Intervention, Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation System, Drivers and Constraints of Agricultural Modernization and Modalities and Mechanisms for Strengthening International Cooperation. The participants reached the following consensus: 

1. Food security and poverty have long been one of the key issues for developing countries and are crucial for world economic development and social stability.

2. Innovation in agricultural science and technology is of fundamental importance to ensure food security and promoting agricultural development.

3. Strengthening international cooperation with increased investment is essential to the improvement of developing countries’ capabilities in achieving food security.

4. The Global Forum of Leaders for Agricultural Science and Technology（GLAST）is an effective platform for information exchange and dialogue, and should become a regular mechanism.

These consensuses were written in the Harbin Declaration, which is an outcome document of the Forum.