The Agricultural Quality Standards and Inspection Institute of the Tibet Academy of Agricultural and Animal Husbandry Sciences (TAAAS) was founded in 1984 by the former Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries and the People’s Government of the Tibet Autonomous Region. In 1985, the first phase of the project was completed, which included the establishment of a soil quality analysis room. This facility began conducting analysis and testing of samples collected from the soil census across the region, in addition to performing agricultural ecological environment analysis, as well as crop quality, feed, and fertilizer testing.
In 1988, the second phase saw the completion of the physiological and genetic research laboratory, where research on topics like “wheat haploid breeding” and “tissue culture” was initiated. In August 1999, the institute passed national metrology certification and the Ministry of Agriculture’s institutional review and accreditation, becoming a ministerial-level agricultural product quality inspection center under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA).
Since then, the institute has been authorized to establish the following platforms:
- Tibet Agricultural and Livestock Products Engineering Technology Research Center
- Pollution-Free Agricultural Products Designated Testing Agency
- Tibet Autonomous Region Primary Agricultural Products Testing Center
- Green Food Designated Testing Agency
- Agricultural Products Quality Risk Assessment Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (Lhasa)
- National Agricultural Products Quality and Safety Inspection and Testing Technology Training Base
- National Agricultural Products Quality and Safety Science Popularization Demonstration Base
The institute is organized into several key departments:
- Agricultural and Livestock Product Quality Testing Laboratory
- Agricultural Resources and Environmental Testing Laboratory
- Pesticide Residue Testing Laboratory
- Risk Assessment Laboratory
- Microbial and Genetically Modified Testing Laboratory
- Standards Laboratory
Currently, there are 38 employees at the institute. It has undertaken various projects, including:
- Research on Agricultural Non-point Source Pollution Prevention and Control Technology in Tibet’s One and Two River Basins
- Routine Monitoring of Agricultural Products Quality and Safety by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs
- Risk Assessment of Agricultural Products Quality and Safety (Vegetables) by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs
- Quality and Safety Monitoring of Agricultural Products in the Autonomous Region
In addition, the institute manages scientific research projects and supervision, including:
- Research on the Changes of Soil Nutrients in Main Farmland in Tibet
- Analysis of Specific Quality of Highland Barley and Research on the Environment of Producing Areas
- Construction and Demonstration of High-Quality Highland Barley Production Standard Systems for Full Quality Control, High Yield, and Preservation
The institute has also played a key role in the formulation and revision of product standards for special regional agricultural products, such as tsampa, highland barley, ghee, coriander root, and cashmere. The revised local standards for tsampa were promulgated and implemented, filling a significant gap in the standards for characteristic agricultural products in Tibetan areas, and contributing to the standardization of Tibetan agricultural products.
More information (in Chinese): http://www.taaas.org/jgsz/gyjs/zljcys.htm.
