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About

The Project

Smart Agriculture is a key activity of the Sino-German Agricultural Centre (DCZ), a joint initiative of the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the People’s Republic of China (MARA).

The DCZ was established in March 2015 as a central contact and information office and for the purpose of coordinating the bilateral cooperation between Germany and China in the agricultural and food sector. In April 2018, the project entered its 2nd phase.

In the field of agriculture and food, China is an important partner for Germany, both economically and politically. The BMEL has a major interest in playing a constructive role in China’s transformation process. The Sino-German Agricultural Centre brings together stakeholders from politics, the economy, academia and the industry. It creates forums where agriculture-related subjects of mutual interest are dealt with.

The spectrum of the Sino-German cooperation in the agricultural sector is reflected in the three components of the DCZ: Agricultural Policy Dialogue, Agri-Food Business Dialogue and Scientific Dialogue.

A fourth component, Public Relations and Networking, increases the external visibility of the Sino-German dialogue.

Project Objectives and Fields of Action

The primary objective of the DCZ is to establish a mutually fruitful dialogue on relevant agricultural issues and strengthen the cooperation between the two countries. The Centre brings together political stakeholders and experts from economy, academia and agricultural industry and promotes the exchange of experience and knowledge in a multitude of subject areas.

The Agricultural Policy Dialogue deals with issues of the agricultural and food policies to develop joint recommendations and thus support the political aim of a modernization and sustainable development of the Chinese agricultural sector. Key topics are “Environmentally friendly livestock husbandry”, “Cooperation in the seeds sector” and “Policy instruments for a sustainable agricultural development”.

The Agri-Food Business Dialogue serves as a platform for players of the German and Chinese agriculture and food sectors. The dialogue on economic issues enhances the exchange on new developments and concrete challenges and develops pragmatic recommendations for action.

The Scientific Dialogue is an instrument of the DCZ to make scientific expertise part of the professional exchange and to act as a coordinator of the Sino-German cooperation in agricultural research.

Public relations and the integration of the three components as well as the exchange of experience with other projects of the BMEL’s bilateral cooperation programme are of special importance.

In charge of project execution are IAK Agrar Consulting GmbH (leadership) and the Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Development in Transition Economies (IAMO).Operative project partners in China are the Foreign Economic Cooperation Centre (FECC) and the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS).

For further information please visit www.dcz-china.org