The China-Colombia Joint Research Center of Rice is inaugurated in 2024 at South China Agricultural University. CHINA DAILY

In early December, the China-Latin America Agricultural Education and Research Innovation Alliance marked its fifth anniversary and announced the launch of its version 2.0 in Sanya, South China's Hainan province.

Representatives from universities, research institutions and enterprises across seven Latin American countries, including Brazil, Colombia, Peru and Argentina, participated in the event.

According to Xue Hongwei, president of South China Agricultural University, which spearheaded the establishment of the alliance, the group now comprises 78 member institutions from 15 countries. It aids the export of Chinese agricultural technology and the introduction of advanced Latin American agricultural practices into China, with more than 200 interuniversity agreements signed.

Technologies for cultivating high-yield soybeans and drought-resistant rice from SCAU's crop science discipline have been applied in Latin America. An innovative "Chinese Language Plus Agriculture" talent cultivation model has trained more than 1,000 participants.

Xue said the alliance has brought the education, innovation, industry and talent chains closer together in response to global challenges, striving to find replicable solutions for addressing food security and promoting sustainable development.

The China-Latin America Agricultural Education and Research Innovation Alliance exemplifies the efforts of the crop science discipline to expand international exchange and cooperation. Beyond the alliance, the university has set up a fund to expand international cooperation, organized international conferences, and sought funding support for international joint student training programs.

It has assisted student exchanges with institutions in countries such as France and the Netherlands, invited experts from renowned universities including the University of Oxford and Cornell University to give lectures, and supported its faculty members in presenting at international conferences.

SCAU has established two international joint bases for seed research and application. It led the establishment of the China-Pakistan Soybean Industry Technology Innovation Institute and set up Yonggen Sci-Tech Stations — named after agricultural scientist Lu Yonggen — in Colombia, Brazil, Egypt and other countries for crop research. It has also forged cooperative relationships with top agricultural universities worldwide, such as Wageningen University &Research in the Netherlands.

The university has shared agricultural technology with other countries too, establishing a soybean breeding base in Tanzania and a joint research center in Brazil. It has exported more than 220 germplasm varieties to countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative. Soybean varieties such as Huaxia 21 have achieved breakthroughs in Brazil, increasing yields by more than 50 percent compared to local varieties. These efforts have led to the formation of an agricultural technology demonstration belt connecting Asia, Africa and Latin America, realizing the shared vision of SCAU's crop science discipline and its international partners.

SCAU has also deepened its involvement in international alliances, including the China-Latin America Soybean Industry Technology Innovation Alliance and the China-Colombia Joint Research Center of Rice on Strategy, Technological Innovation and Capability Enhancement. Meanwhile, through initiating the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao University Plant Scientists Alliance and extensive international collaboration, the crop science discipline has integrated into the global innovation network.

President Xue noted that the university's outstanding performance in international rankings not only signifies a numerical leap but also reflects the recognition it has garnered from its global peers. In the future, its crop science discipline will continue expanding its global partner network to promote international agricultural cooperation.