10th SCO Agriculture Ministers meeting addresses major agriculture development strategies
The 10th Meeting of Ministers of Agriculture of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Member States was held in Kunming, Yunnan Province, under the theme “Robust Policy Exchange for a Closer SCO Family of Agriculture.” The meeting addressed key areas such as rural development, poverty reduction, and scientific and technological exchange. It included a ministerial session, policy dialogue, an exhibition of achievements, and field visits.
A Joint Statement was reviewed and adopted, with all parties emphasizing the importance of the meeting and expressing a shared commitment to strengthening the SCO agriculture ministers’ meeting mechanism to promote modern agriculture and rural prosperity through mutual learning. The meeting was chaired by Minister Han Jun of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA), who also delivered remarks on behalf of the Chinese delegation.
Minister Han highlighted the importance of agricultural cooperation among SCO countries, noting the establishment of the SCO Demonstration Base for Agricultural Technology Exchange and Training and the SCO Forum on Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Development. Over the past 15 years, SCO member states have collaborated to address challenges, and China aims to further enhance agricultural cooperation and explore its potential within the SCO framework.
Minister Han set forth three proposals: First, refine the policy dialogue mechanism, enhance bilateral and multilateral communication and policy sharing among governments, and jointly address risks and challenges. Second, deepen cooperation in agricultural S&T, jointly build technology cooperation platforms, and propel agricultural talent exchange and technical cooperation. Third, set up smooth channels for trade and investment, push for mutual market access, create more channels for promoting agro-products, explore cooperation in the trade of services, and advance trade and investment facilitation.
The meeting was attended by Yuri Gorlov, Minister of Agriculture and Food of Belarus; Shri Muktanand Agrawal, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare of India; Gholamreza Nouri Ghezeljeh, Minister of Agriculture of Iran; Yermek Kenzhekhanuly, Vice Minister of Agriculture of Kazakhstan; Zhanybek Kerimaliev, First Deputy Minister of Water Resources, Agriculture, and Processing Industry of Kyrgyzstan; Tanvir Ahmed Bhatti, Consul General of Pakistan in Chengdu; Marina Afonina, Deputy Minister of Agriculture of Russia; Qurbon Hakimzoda, Minister of Agriculture of Tajikistan; Alisher Shukurov, Deputy Minister of Agriculture of Uzbekistan; and Sohail Khan, SCO Deputy Secretary General, who all delivered remarks. Representatives from SCO dialogue partners also participated, including Tin Htut, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, and Irrigation of Myanmar; Hong Narith, Under Secretary of State at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries of Cambodia; and Mariam M. Ragaei, an official from the Embassy of Egypt in China.”
Wang Yubo, Governor of Yunnan Province, attended the meeting and delivered remarks. Vice Minister Zhang Zhili and Chief Agronomist Pan Wenbo of MARA also participated. During the meeting, Minister Han met separately with Minister Nouri of Iran and First Deputy Minister Kerimaliev of Kyrgyzstan. Vice Minister Zhang met separately with Deputy Minister Rostampour of Iran, Minister Hakimzoda of Tajikistan, and Deputy Minister Afonina of Russia. They exchanged views on strengthening bilateral agricultural cooperation
