International/BRI

https://earth.esa.int/eogateway/activities/dragon-cooperation-programme https://english.news.cn/20240625/a71cb989c7af4cdfaee49c0f3eb5467b/c. The Dragon Program conference, a major China-Europe science collaboration since 2004,  opened in Lisbon in June, marking the transition from Earth observation plan Dragon 5 to Dragon 6 and included a new agreement on climate change and big data. Organized by China’s Ministry of Science and Technology and the European Space Agency (ESA), the five-day symposium attracted nearly 300 experts and scholars from China and Europe to discuss the achievements of Dragon 5, and introductions to Dragon 6 projects, focusing on the latest developments in Earth observation technology and the application of satellite remote sensing technology in environmental protection and disaster mitigation. At the opening ceremony, China and Europe signed the cooperation agreement for Phase 6 of the Dragon Program, which spans from 2024 to 2028. This agreement covers ten key themes, including land, atmosphere, climate change and big data. Under the agreement, both sides will continue to promote the sharing and application of Earth observation data through collaborative research, academic exchanges, and talent training. Starting in 2024, the China Science and Technology Exchange Center will take over the Chinese side’s management of the Dragon Program, working alongside ESA’s Earth Observation Department. These efforts have fostered a stable joint research team for Earth observation, achieved internationally leading research results, and provided technological support for tackling global challenges such as climate change. Josef Aschbacher, director-general of ESA, said the Dragon Program is one of the longest-standing and most fruitful cooperative projects between China and Europe. He noted that the program has not only facilitated profound exchanges between scientists from both regions, but also promoted the application of technological achievements.

http://en.people.cn/n3/2024/0410/c90000-20155333.html A BRI joint research laboratory will be established by the Guizhou University, the University of Peradeniya, the Central China Normal University and Sri Lanka Tea Research Institute. The laboratory will focus its research on three key areas, which consist of accurate pesticide reduction based on big data, biological control technology for insect pests and weed infestations in tea gardens, and risk monitoring and control technology aimed at tea pesticide residue.

http://en.people.cn/n3/2024/0409/c90000-20154816.html — A low-carbon and hydrogen metallurgy laboratory was jointly set up by China’s Central South University and Brazil’s Vale corporation. Vale is one of the largest producers of iron ore and nickel in the world. With a total area of 3,000 square meters, the laboratory is a five-story building with scientific instruments and equipment.

http://en.people.cn/n3/2023/1116/c90000-20098412.html Chinese hybrid rice is growing in more than 20 African countries. The Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) alone, in cooperation with the Bill &Melinda Gates Foundation, has distributed more than 1,000 green super rice materials to nine African countries, with a cumulative planting area of 57,000 hectares and yields more than 20 percent higher than local varieties. In addition, new and efficient cultivation techniques for hybrid rice are spreading.

http://en.people.cn/n3/2023/1115/c90000-20097708.html The Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences (CATAS) has published an action plan to introduce new cassava varieties and advanced farming techniques to over 500,000 hectares of land in African countries. The improved varieties and techniques are expected to raise the yield of the root crops above 17 tonnes per hectare. CATAS will help countries including Nigeria, Mozambique and the Republic of the Congo breed better varieties, improve cultivation techniques and raise the level of mechanization on cassava farms.It will also build agriculture demonstration centers to promote commercialization and large-scale production in major cassava-producing countries.

http://j.people.com.cn/n3/2023/1020/c95952-20087036.html Zheng Baodong, vice president of Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, said, “The mycorrhizal technology has brought a sense of accomplishment and happiness to hundreds of thousands of people, enhanced the poverty reduction capacity and civilian welfare of the “One Belt, One Road” joint construction countries, and has been praised as ‘grass that brings wealth’ and ‘grass that brings happiness’”. This technology, invented by Professor Lin Shuoshi of the university, has been widely applied in China and abroad. According to statistics, the university has held 333 international training sessions, training a total of 13,990 students, established model centers in 17 countries, and trained 27 master’s and doctoral students from 12 countries majoring in mycorrhiza. The mycorrhizal technology was mentioned in five white papers, including “Joint Construction of ‘One Belt, One Road’: An Important Practice in Building a Community of Destiny for Humanity,” published by the State Council Press Office. The Fiji fungus project was selected for “Eradicating Absolute Poverty-China’s Practice” published by the UN Economic and Social Council and China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the “One Belt, One Road” story series published by China’s Ministry of Commerce. The Lesotho Fungus Grass Project was selected as the World’s Best Poverty Reduction Case Study. In Papua New Guinea, the mycorrhizal technology has spread to more than 13,000 farming households in nine provinces and 17 districts, benefiting more than 40,000 people. The international community has widely praised the achievements of fungal technology in supporting poverty reduction and the promotion of green and sustainable development in the “One Belt, One Road” co-building countries. There have been 1,000s of reports by countries such as Fiji, Laos, Kenya, Nigeria, Lesotho, Central Africa, Jamaica, and Mexico, as well as by official UN media and websites.