On 5 November 2024, DCZ experts Ahmatjan Rouzi and Eva Sternfeld attended a meeting on “Precision Farming Technologies and Best Practices in China”. This event is part of a broader initiative titled “Digital Transformation and Sustainable Development of Agrifood Systems in China”, organized jointly by FAO-China, the China Agricultural Science and Education Foundation, China Agricultural University (CAU), and Pinduoduo.
Han Yan, Deputy Representative of the FAO in China, delivered the opening remarks. She emphasized that the Precision Agriculture Technology and China’s Best Practices report serves as a valuable resource for advancing precision agriculture in China, contributing to global efforts for sustainable agricultural practices and digital transformation. She underscored how these initiatives align with FAO’s mission and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Chai Li of CAU, lead author of the report, introduced its comprehensive outline, which presents a technological framework for precision farming in China. The report’s eight chapters cover various agricultural sub-sectors and provide insights into future trends that will influence precision agriculture, not only within China but across the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.
Guo Xiaoping, Director of the Fund Management Department at the China Agricultural Science and Education Foundation, highlighted the foundation’s collaboration with FAO on digital agriculture, emphasizing its commitment to rural revitalization and agricultural innovation. Liu Daoliang of CAU then reviewed the current state and future prospects of digital agriculture in China, while Yang Yue, Public Affairs Expert at Pinduoduo, outlined the company’s initiatives in precision farming for rural revitalization, which is a central focus of the project.
Ahmatjan Rouzi also participated in a panel discussion moderated by Gao Jingya from FAO, focusing on precision farming in agriculture. He shared insights on the European Union (EU) Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) subsidies related to precision farming. He stressed the importance of international collaboration and information-sharing in precision agriculture to strengthen global food security and governance. Additionally, he introduced German companies’ work in precision farming, highlighting contributions from CLAAS, Bayer, BASF, and 365farmnet.
In 2022, Pinduoduo donated 1 million USD to the China Agricultural Science and Education Foundation to support the FAO’s “Digital Transformation and Sustainable Development of Agrifood Systems in China” initiative, launched in 2023. Over its three-year cycle, the initiative focuses on four areas:
- digital villages
- precision agriculture
- sustainable agriculture
- healthy diets
The initiative has compiled innovative practices and success stories in transforming China’s agricultural food system, with an emphasis on rural revitalization, offering lessons and models for developing countries through the FAO platform. DCZ also attended an earlier event in June, where findings from the initiative’s first report titled China’s Digital Experience in Agricultural and Rural Development were shared.
