Established in 1956, the Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences (HAAS) – 黑龙江农业科学院 is a leading agricultural research institution in China, specializing in scientific innovation for cold-climate agriculture. The academy operates nine functional offices and 29 research institutes, with 16 institutes based in Harbin City and 13 located across different ecological regions of Heilongjiang Province.
HAAS focuses on crop breeding, cultivation, plant protection, black soil conservation, animal husbandry, veterinary medicine, food processing, rural energy, facility horticulture, agricultural remote sensing, information technology, agricultural machinery, and other applied and fundamental agricultural sciences. The academy provides scientific and technological support and technical services to local communities and farmers.
HAAS holds key leadership roles in international and national research alliances. It serves as the Secretary-General organization for the FAO International Research Institute of Black Soil and leads the National Potato Industry Technology Innovation Strategy Alliance. Additionally, HAAS is the vice-chairman organization of several national alliances, including the National Germplasm Resources Innovation Strategy Alliance.
HAAS has established China’s largest agricultural science and technology innovation system for cold-climate regions, comprising:
- 73 centers (sub-centers) and key laboratories at the provincial and ministerial levels
- 30 comprehensive experimental stations under the National Modern Agricultural Industrial Technology System
- 9 field observation stations under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs
- 4 national agricultural science observation and experiment stations
- 26 prototype bases, pilot bases, and demonstration parks
HAAS has led the establishment of the National Saline-Tolerant Rice Technology Innovation Center and has been approved for the construction of the National Pig Technology Innovation Center. Additionally, it independently developed China’s National Potato Germplasm Resources In Vitro Seedling Library.
The academy employs 2,313 staff members, including 286 PhD holders. Since its founding, HAAS has achieved 725 provincial and ministerial-level scientific and technological advancements, particularly in the breeding and promotion of new crop varieties, with a focus on japonica rice and soybeans.
HAAS has also made significant contributions to livestock conservation, winning China’s only national protection award for the Min pig breed. Furthermore, the academy established China’s first enterprise-based agricultural intellectual property service platform and developed a province-wide network of demonstration bases for scientific and technological achievements.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, HAAS launched the “Science and Technology to Help Farmers” online service, which provided essential agricultural guidance and amassed a cumulative viewership of over 80 million people.
More information (in Chinese): https://www.haas.cn/.
