To promote agricultural cooperation within the framework of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA), strengthen technical exchanges and sharing of agricultural experiences among member countries, share China's experience in the research, development, promotion, and application of smart agriculture technologies, and advance the development of modern agriculture led by smart agriculture, the 'CICA Smart Agriculture Application and Development Training Program' was successfully held in Yinchuan from May 15 to 19, 2018.

The training program was organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, undertaken by the Foreign Affairs Office of Ningxia Autonomous Region, and Center for Innternational Agricultural Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences. The event had 26 participants from 18 countries and regional organizations, including 8 lecturers from organizations such as the  Centre Agriculture Bioscience International(CABI), International Plant Nutrition Institute(APNI), Global Youth Forum on Agricultural Development, and the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences CAAS. The opening ceremony was attended by leaders from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the CICA Secretariat, and the CAAS, who delivered speeches.

Ambassador Gu Ziping, Chair of the CICA Chinese Chairmanship Working Group, reviewed various activities undertaken since the establishment of CICA, particularly those led by China since assuming the chairmanship in 2014. He emphasized the foundational role of agriculture in national and regional food security and economic development. He highlighted CICA's value and support for collaborative initiatives and exchanges in the agricultural sector. He emphasized that smart agriculture is a key pathway for developing countries to eradicate poverty and leverage latecomer advantages. He expressed hope that this training program would deepen practical cooperation among CICA member countries in the field of agriculture.

Ms. Anele Bekebeke, Deputy Executive Director of the CICA Secretariat, highly praised China for its remarkable achievements since assuming the CICA Chairmanship, especially acknowledging its active role in coordinating confidence-building measures in the agricultural sector since 2016. She highlighted the series of activities organized by China, contributing significantly to the collaboration among CICA member countries in areas such as crop cultivation, rural development, and poverty reduction. Ms. Bekebeke emphasized that this training program is another valuable contribution from China to promote cooperation in the agricultural field within CICA.

Director Gong Xifeng from the Department of International Cooperation of CAAS  summarized the new stage of China's agricultural development, emphasizing technology-driven innovation, a focus on quality and efficiency, strengthened international cooperation, and a commitment to ecology and environmental protection. He introduced the background and foundation of smart agriculture development in China, highlighting the leading role of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences in providing technological support for modern agriculture, particularly in the field of smart agriculture. He expressed the CAAS's willingness to collaborate with agricultural research institutions from CICA member countries to jointly promote sustainable agricultural development within CICA.

Researcher Wu Wenbin，Chief of the Smart Agriculture Team of CAAS, Researcher Chen Zhongxin, Director of the Key Laboratory of Agricultural Remote Sensing under the Ministry of Agriculture, Researcher He Ping, China Program Director at the International Plant Nutrition Institute, Researcher Zhang Feng, East Asia Regional Director of CABI, Dr. Bi Jieying, Asia-Pacific Coordinator of the Global Forum on Agricultural Development, and Wang Jing, Director of the Office of the Center for International Agricultural Research of the CAAS, delivered presentations on various topics, including global and Chinese smart agriculture and technological innovation, remote sensing detection and analysis, global change and digital agriculture, smart agriculture and plant protection, information sharing, and platform construction. Subsequently, they engaged in extensive interaction and discussions with the participants.

As the most significant outcome of this training program, the conference proposed and established the Smart Agriculture Network. The coordinator of the network is Chief Researcher Wu Wenbin from the Smart Agriculture Team of the CAAS. This collaborative network is committed to facilitating exchanges and cooperation in the field of smart agriculture among CICA agricultural member countries and regularly organize activities to deepen and pragmatize agricultural cooperation among member countries.

During this training program, the participants also visited the Ningxia Agricultural Internet of Things Engineering Technology Research Center and modern farming enterprises to conduct on-site inspections of the development and application of smart agriculture in China. Technologies such as traceability of Chinese agricultural products, intelligent pest control, diagnosis of diseases and pests, monitoring of plant sub-health, controlled-environment agriculture, and intelligent management of field water-saving irrigation left a profound impression on the students.

The successful organization of the Smart Agriculture Application and Development Training Program in the framework of the CICA has provided a robust platform for member countries to exchange information on the current status, challenges, and collaborative opportunities in the field of smart agriculture. The program has trained a group of policy officials, agricultural technology disseminators, and researchers in the field of smart agriculture, forming a team of experienced experts and young professionals for CICA's smart agriculture exchange and cooperation. The establishment of the Smart Agriculture Network under CICA's initiative will play a crucial role in facilitating communication and collaboration among CICA member countries in the field of smart agriculture. It aims to share China's experiences and technologies in smart agriculture, promote investment in research and development, and enhance CICA's regional influence in the realm of smart agriculture.