At the invitation of CIMMYT (International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center), the delegation of Zheng Hongjian, deputy director of the Crop Breeding and Cultivation Research Institute attended the Africa-China-CIMMYT Scientific Forum from August 13 to 16. The purpose of this event is to summarize the achievements of China-Africa agricultural science and technology cooperation, exchange agricultural development experience, and promote the future agricultural science and technology cooperation mechanism. The forum was organized by Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) and CIMMYT. Over 100 experts from Kenya, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Ethiopia and other countries attended the science forum.

At the meeting, the participating experts conducted in-depth exchanges and discussions on the identification and utilization of genetic resources, genetic improvement of maize and wheat, genetic improvement of dryland crops, sustainable development of agricultural food systems in sub-Saharan Africa, and the establishment of partnerships for the present and the future and reached a broad consensus. In the next step, the parties would further deepen cooperation in the fields of germplasm resource sharing, soil fertility improvement, irrigation technology optimization, promotion of digital sustainable crop production models and plant protection, plan to launch new projects, strengthen personnel exchanges, establish long-term cooperation mechanisms, integrate resources, strive for project funds and promote policy support. After the meeting, the participants visited the KALRO-CIMMYT Experimental Station.

During the meeting, deputy director Zheng led the scientists of the Maize Research Center to visit the CIMMYT-Kenya Branch Center and conducted in-depth communication and exchanges on the cooperation prospects between the CIMMYT-China Specialty Maize Research Center (CCSMRC) and the CIMMYT-Kenya Branch Center. The "First International Symposium on Intelligent Digital Breeding of Maize" would be held in Shanghai in September. CCSMRC and CIMMYT had in-depth discussion on this matter, they would further cooperate in research fields such as modern breeding technology systems, global industrial networks and engineering digital breeding platforms for specialty maize.