On the afternoon of November 12, the United Graduate School of Chinese Modern Agriculture(UGSCMA) held an Xianghu Forum academic seminar in the lecture hall of the school’s Ziqiang Building. The event featured keynote speeches by Chen Mengshan, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, and Felix Dapare Dakora, a foreign academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering. The seminar was chaired by You Ge.
Researcher Chen Mengshan delivered a talk titled Ensuring the Stability of China's Food Supply, offering an in-depth analysis of China’s food production and security. He addressed the reasons behind securing the nation’s food supply, the practical foundation for doing so, and current concerns. Chen proposed solutions, such as enhancing the motivation for both grain cultivation and farming, improving land and labor productivity, and reducing waste.
Academician Felix Dapare Dakora focused on agricultural collaboration between China and Africa. He highlighted Africa’s rich natural resources but acknowledged challenges such as environmental degradation, illegal mining, and poverty. Dakora praised China for assisting Africa in improving agricultural yield and food security through the sharing of high-yield crop germplasm, technologies, joint laboratories, and training agricultural personnel. He recognized the contributions of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences in crop improvement, agricultural technology, and talent cultivation. Dakora discussed the potential of the China-Africa Alliance on Agricultural Science, Technology, and Innovation to enhance cooperation, reduce hunger, and boost food exports. For example, he noted the development of nitrogen-fixing legumes to address diabetes in Africa. He also suggested Africa could learn from China’s advancements in infrastructure development, agricultural education, research investments, and technological collaboration.
Speaker Profiles:
Chen Mengshan: Member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, researcher at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chairman of the National Food and Nutrition Consultation Committee, and President of the Chinese Society of Agricultural Technology and Economics. He is also a member of the Advisory Committee on Rural Revitalization for the Central Agricultural Office and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. Previously, he served as the Party Secretary of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences.
Felix Dapare Dakora: Former President of the African Academy of Sciences and Professor at the Tshwane University of Technology, South Africa. He is an academician of the South African Academy of Science, the African Academy of Sciences, and the Academy of Sciences for the Developing World. Dakora is the Chair of Agricultural Chemistry and Plant Symbiosis Research in South Africa and a member of various scientific committees. He was elected as a Foreign Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering in 2019 and received the Chinese Government Friendship Award in 2023.
