In the face of climate change and biodiversity loss, China continues to emphasize agricultural biodiversity and fulfill its biodiversity commitments with concrete actions.
KUNMING, China, May 22 (Xinhua) — Participants at the third International Agrobiodiversity Congress, held here from Tuesday to Thursday, have praised China’s efforts in agrobiodiversity conservation, saying the country is at the forefront of global efforts and serves as a model for others.
Themed “Agrobiodiversity for People and Planet,” the congress drew more than 800 representatives from agricultural departments, research institutions, and international organizations across 60-plus countries.
Biodiversity is the foundation on which human survival and development depend, and agrobiodiversity is central to overall biodiversity, providing humans with a rich source of food.
“At present, the world is confronted with challenges such as climate change and food security, and the significance of agrobiodiversity has become increasingly prominent,” said Marcela Quintero, associate director general for the Alliance of Bioversity International and International Center for Tropical Agriculture.
Agrobiodiversity also plays a key role in public health, said Lynnette Neufeld, director of the Food and Nutrition Division at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
She expressed hope that participants would reach a consensus, respond actively to global challenges, and work toward a win-win situation for the protection of agricultural biodiversity and food security.
China, one of the birthplaces of global agricultural civilization and a major center of crop origin, has long integrated tradition and innovation in conserving agrobiodiversity.
From millennia-old terraces on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau to dryland farming in the Yellow River Basin, and from rice-fish symbiosis systems in the Yangtze River region to nomadic culture in grassland pastoral areas, China is home to 25 Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems, the most in the world, as recognized by the FAO.
In the face of climate change and biodiversity loss, China continues to emphasize agricultural biodiversity and fulfill its biodiversity commitments with concrete actions.
“I was pleased to see the progress that China has made in protecting its nature,” Marcela said, stressing the role of agrobiodiversity in sustainable development.
Elisabeth Fournier, a scientist at the French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment, described China as a global leader in promoting biodiversity.
“There are very big efforts made by the Chinese government to promote biodiversity in order to have a more sustainable agriculture, decreasing the use of chemicals. This is the main goal while continuing to feed people,” said Fournier.
Similarly, Chanthakhone Boualaphanh, vice minister of Agriculture and Forestry of Laos, said: “Agrobiodiversity is important for us as agriculture is the backbone of the Lao economy.”
The minister also praised China’s contributions to Laos in boosting grain production and protecting biodiversity.
At the closing ceremony, delegates released the 2025 Kunming Manifesto. The document clarifies the strategic importance of agrobiodiversity in addressing food crises and climate change, provides guidance for the research, conservation and utilization of agrobiodiversity in the future, and contributes wisdom and strength to building a more sustainable and resilient global food system.
This year’s congress also marked progress in implementing the Kunming Declaration and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. A new fiscal mechanism was proposed to support cross-border cooperation, enabling the exchange of germplasm resources, technology transfer and capacity building.
“Cooperation between countries and regions is essential to ensuring the sustainable management of agricultural resources,” said Fabio Schina, consul general of Italy in Chongqing. ■
