University leading the way in putting better food on the table

As the saying goes, "Of all things, eating matters most", and no one can survive without food.

In the past, China was short of food for quite a long time and had to find ways to increase food production.

After solving the problem of satisfying people's basic needs for food and clothing, Chinese people began to further pursue a greater quality of life, and pay more attention to nutrition and health.

Now, the focus has moved to stabilizing the basic output of food production as well as adjusting its structure and ensuring its diversity and quality.

The concept of food has also changed — not only cereals but also meat, eggs, milk, fruit, vegetables and aquatic products.

As the only agricultural undergraduate college in Liaoning province, Shenyang Agricultural University has given full play to its academic specialties and advantages over the years, focusing on both scientific research and practice.

The university has implemented the "science and technology supply plan" to promote the realization of more scientific and technological achievements.

Moreover, the rural service plan — which aims to attract more talents to bring more technology to rural areas — has better integrated agriculture's industrial chain process, from the field to the dining table.

Over the past five years, the university has led and presided over eight national-level key research and development projects and more than 500 provincial-level scientific research projects.

The university has also made a number of landmark achievements in different fields, such as northern super rice, facility-grown vegetables, biochar, corn and strawberries.

For example, led by Chen Wenfu, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, research conducted on northern super rice found a solution to the contradiction between high-yield and high-quality rice.

Researchers have bred 16 super rice varieties which have been approved by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, achieving a high-yield and high-quality grain.

Led by Li Tianlai, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, the facility-grown vegetable research project has witnessed the development of a new energy-saving solar greenhouse and supporting cultivation technology. It has set a precedent of 375 metric tons of fruits and vegetables per hectare annually, which doesn't require the heating of solar greenhouses in cold areas.

We strengthened cooperation with local governments and enterprises, including the building of rural revitalization demonstration bases across the country, and exploring rural revitalization development models in different regions and industries in northern Liaoning.

Focusing on ten leading and characteristic industries of regional agriculture, we have set up 100 technical teams, which have attracted the participation of over 1,000 experts and 10,000 students.

Every year, they go to the fields to promote favorable policies and advanced technologies, putting many of the university's scientific and technological projects into practice.

They also carried out farmer education and training courses, helping farmers upgrade their academic qualifications and professional knowledge as well as enhance their professional skills and innovation capabilities.

In the years to come, we will continue to dedicate ourselves to contributing to social progress and a better quality of life for all.

The author is the Party secretary of Shenyang Agricultural University.