China's success in maintaining food security is a model for developing countries and has made a significant contribution to sustaining food supplies around the world, experts have said.

Leading figures from agricultural science and technology institutes from 24 countries attended a two-day forum in Beijing last week to look at ways to develop modern agricultural methods.

Liang Qu, director of the department of nuclear science and applications operated jointly by the Food and Agriculture Organization and International Atomic Energy Agency, praised China's efforts to realize food self-sufficiency and develop agricultural methods.

Speaking on the sidelines of the forum, which was sponsored by the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), he said: "China is speeding up the development of modern agriculture with the help of its best-ever support in terms of government policies, technology research and funding."

The country already has the largest agri-science network in the world, comprising 1,200 agricultural research institutes with 60,000 professionals and 120,000 support staff, Liang said.

Zhang Lijian, deputy director of the CAAS, said experience had shown that agricultural yields relied heavily on the use of science and technology.

He said research by Chinese scientists into super rice, genetically modified cotton, dwarf male sterile wheat and high-yield soybean and rapeseed had contributed substantially to sustaining global agricultural productivity.

Koichi Kadowaki, from the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, sought suggestions on how to address the problems faced by his country in boosting its agriculture capacity.

"The problems include low levels of food sufficiency, an aging society and low birthrate, and a shrinking labor force in rural areas," he said.

Liang said: "Most agricultural problems are cross-border problems shared by several countries.

"International cooperation is needed," he said.

Since it was established 50 years ago, the CAAS has held technology exchanges with agricultural research institutes from 65 countries and a host of international organizations.

It has also signed a slew of strategic science and technology cooperation deals with 27 countries and 14 international organizations and private funds.

The food-processing industry will become increasingly important in China and create huge business opportunities for companies around the world, Liang said.

(China Daily 10/24/2007 page3)