The 37th Session of the FAO Regional Conference for Asia and the Pacific was held in Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka, from Feb. 19 to 22. Ma Youxiang, Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China, led the Chinese delegation.  

Vice Minister Ma in the country statement noted that the Chinese government places a high value on food security. China has always prioritized the work of developing agriculture, raising farmers’ income, and improving rural communities, and has continued to introduce new policies and improve existing ones to strengthen agriculture, benefit rural areas, and enrich farmers. As a result, China has made great strides in agricultural and rural development. For nine years running, China has consistently produced more than 650 million tons of grain yearly. Farmers’ income has continued to increase. Agricultural inputs, technology, and equipment have risen to new levels. Green agricultural development is accelerating. Rural development has advanced in an orderly manner. To jointly promote regional and global food security, Vice Minister Ma put forward three proposals: 1) continue to prioritize development and strive to increase comprehensive grain production capacity; 2) drive green development and enhance the resilience of agrifood systems; and 3) stick to the people-centered approach and build up the capacity of small farmers.  

During the meeting, Vice Minister Ma attended the Ministerial Roundtable on Food Security and Nutrition in the Asia-Pacific Region: Lessons from Convergent Crises and Actions Going Forward. He highlighted China’s experience and practices for safeguarding food security in macro strategies, institutional underpinnings, technological equipment, development concepts, international cooperation endeavors, and other areas.