Minister Han pointed out that President Xi Jinping attaches great importance to agricultural cooperation among SCO countries. President Xi personally initiated the establishment of the SCO Demonstration Base for Agricultural Technology Exchange and Training and sent a congratulatory letter to the SCO Forum on Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Development. Over the past 15 years since establishing the agriculture ministers’ meeting mechanism, SCO member states have stood together through various challenges, moving forward with combined purpose. China seeks to work with all member states to further tap the cooperative potential of agriculture and jointly write a new chapter in SCO agricultural cooperation. 

To this end, 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. 

Meeting attendees included 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, all of whom addressed the meeting. 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. 

Adopting the theme, “Robust Policy Exchange for a Closer SCO Family of Agriculture,” the meeting focused on topics such as rural development, cooperation on poverty reduction, and S&T exchange. It also featured a ministerial session, a policy dialogue, an exhibition of achievements, and field trips. The Joint Statement of the 10th Meeting of Ministers of Agriculture of the SCO Member States was reviewed and adopted at the meeting. All parties affirmed the significance and timeliness of the meeting and expressed hope for strengthening the SCO agriculture ministers’ meeting mechanism and promoting the development of modern agriculture and rural prosperity across the region through mutual learning. 

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.