— Preparatory Meeting for Sustainable Agricultural Production and Agricultural Planting Technology Training and Pilot Research

To actively promote the SWITCH-Asia project Supporting Scheme for MSMEs by Building Sustainable Agricultural Fresh Food Production and Logistics in China (SAFE)  and comprehensively enhance the systematic and standardized output capacity of Chinese agricultural products, the "Preparatory Meeting for Sustainable Agricultural Production and Agricultural Planting Technology Training and Pilot Research" was successfully held at the Rural Revitalization School in Dalad Banner, Ordos City, Inner Mongolia, on December 12, 2023.

The Rural Revitalization School in Dalad Banner is located in Linzhao Town. It is focused on the Hohhot-Baotou-Ordos-Yulin region and is dedicated to training professional and practical talents for rural revitalization. The school serves as a national hub for sharing rural revitalization experiences, training rural construction talents, and studying the rural revitalization model of Linzhao Town.

As part of the EU "Switch-Asia" SAFE Project, the China Chain Store and Franchise Association, IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute, and the Institute of Agricultural Economics and Development of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences have jointly developed and provided agricultural product quality and food safety training courses. These courses aim to further improve agricultural product quality standards, strengthen food safety measures, and promote sustainable distribution and marketing of agricultural products.

The training featured distinguished experts including Dr. Zhou Hui, Associate Researcher at the Institute of Agricultural Economics and Development of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences; Liu Hulin, Agricultural Technology Extension Researcher in Dalad Banner; and Gao Junying, Head of the Education and Training Station at the Dalad Banner Agricultural and Animal Husbandry Technology Promotion Center (Principal of the Agricultural Broadcasting School). The experts delivered specialized training on "Food Safety Management at the Production Base, Product Quality Safety Assurance and Key Points of Sustainable Management," "Crop Pest and Disease Control (Plant Protection)," and "High-Density Corn Planting Technology for Yield Improvement." These sessions aimed to enhance the planting technology level of new agricultural business entities, large-scale growers, and farmers in Dalad Banner, and to raise their awareness of agricultural product quality and safety.

The training invited village chiefs, cooperative heads, large-scale growers, and farmers from new business entities primarily from Linyuan Village, Guan Nianfang Village, Wugudi Village, and other towns and village cooperatives. Nearly one hundred cooperatives and almost two hundred farmers attended the training. During the event, representatives from over seventy cooperatives received the "Secondary Trainer" certificates for the SAFE Project from Gao Si, Chief Representative of IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute China, Wang Wenhua, Deputy Secretary-General of the China Chain Store and Franchise Association, and Zhou Hui, Associate Researcher of the Institute of Agricultural Economics and Development of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences. Additionally, training certificates were awarded to more than one hundred farmer representatives.

During the training, participants engaged in discussions and consultations with experts about practical issues they encountered in their planting processes.

This training session is not only a part of the SAFE Project but also a crucial step in jointly promoting the upgrading of the agricultural product industry chain. Through expert training and practical problem exchanges, the project will positively drive the upgrading of the agricultural product industry chain in Dalad Banner and surrounding areas, encouraging more agricultural entities to embark on the path of sustainable development. Such efforts will not only improve the quality and safety standards of local agricultural products but also inject new momentum into the overall sustainable development of Chinese agriculture.