YNU co-hosts Tengchong Scientists Forum's agriculture sub-forum

The Biodiversity and Modern Agriculture Forum, a subforum of the Tengchong Scientists Forum, was held on Dec 7 in Tengchong city, Southwest China's Yunnan province. Yunnan University, the Kunming Institute of Botany under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Yunnan Academy of Forestry and Grassland, and other institutions co-hosted the forum.

The Biodiversity and Modern Agriculture Forum is held in Tengchong on Dec 7. [Photo/ynu.edu.cn]

The event attracted approximately 300 participants, who gathered to discuss biodiversity conservation and innovative developments in modern agriculture. Key topics included food security, effective agricultural product supply, innovation in medicinal biological resources, development of characteristic agricultural industries, sustainable utilization of biodiversity resources, and biodiversity conservation in the Gaoligong Mountains.

Prominent experts delivered keynote speeches. Chen Mengshan, director of the State Food and Nutrition Consultant Committee, spoke on Implementing the Broad Food Perspective to Accelerate the Transformation and Upgrading of China's Food System. Deng Xiuxin, vice-president of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, discussed the Current Status and Future of Tropical and Subtropical Fruit Development. Hao Xiaojian, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, presented Examples of Innovative Research on Plant-Derived Pesticides.

Other renowned speakers also shared their insights. Zhong Kang, president of the Botanical Society of China, presented on Technological Support for the Development of China's Forage Industry. Liu Shirong, a Chinese Academy of Forestry researcher, discussed Practices and Insights in Tropical Forest Ecosystem Conservation and Restoration. Zhang Chunyi, a researcher at the Institute of Crop Sciences of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, reviewed Two Decades of Biofortification in China: Nutritional Agriculture and Public Health.

Experts from Yunnan also contributed their expertise. Wang Jihua, president of the Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, discussed Innovation and Development of Yunnan's Floral Industry. Wang Baijuan, dean of the Tea School at Yunnan Agricultural University, presented on Innovation and Practice in Yunnan's Eco-Friendly Tea Plantations. Zhang Shilai, a researcher at Yunnan University, explored De Novo Domestication of Long Male Wild Rice.

The forum also included corporate presentations, a roundtable discussion on the broad food perspective in agriculture, and a dedicated session on biodiversity conservation in the Gaoligong Mountains.