Prof. Chen Mengshan, Secretary of the Leading Party Group of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) met with the delegation led by Dr. Javier Gracia-Garza from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) on November 10th, 2017. The two sides engaged in in-depth talk on Sino-Canada collaboration in agricultural science and technology, and capacity building among other topics. This was the return visit following CAAS delegation’s visit of AAFC last September.

Prof. Chen Mengshan reviewed the meeting with Dr. Javier Gracia-Garza during his visit of AAFC with his delegation. During the last meeting, the two sides reviewed achievements on platform co-building and collaboration projects along with talent cultivation since the formal agreement of cooperation signing in 2012; after that both sides renewed a signing of MoU for a comprehensive collaboration purpose in the agricultural science and technology sector, defining a direction for future collaboration. He hoped that the return visit by the Canadian side could be an opportunity to advance implementation of the consensus reached last time, and to achieve substantial results as soon as possible in propelling to co-build the Sino-Canada canola crop genetic improvement and utilization, and strengthening collaborative research in wheat diseases (gibberellic disease), mixed beans, forage, and food processing among other sectors by utilizing the joint lab. Prof. Chen Mengshan also exchanged views with the Canadian side on how to boost tight coupling of innovation research results and industry application.

Dr. Javier Gracia-Garza expressed his joy over his return visit in such a short timeframe, which was a strong signal of a keen aspiration of the AAFC to unfold close collaboration with CAAS. He could not agree more with Prof. Chen Mengshan on further enhancing Sino-Canada agricultural sci-tech cooperation and talent cultivation. He revealed that Canadian scientists have carried out collaboration with Institute of Crop Sciences (ICS), Oil Crops Research Institute (OCRI) and Institute of Food Science and Technology of CAAS, Great progress has been achieved in wheat quality improvement, oilseed rape genome study and food processing among other sectors. The Canadian side would drive collaboration in the above mentioned sectors with pragmatic measures.

Also present at the meeting were Dr. Gong Xifeng, Director General of Department of International Cooperation, Mr. Wang Changjiang, Party Secretary of Institute of Food Science and Technology, and Mr. Wen Jie, Deputy Head of Institute of Animal Sciences of CAAS.