CAAS-Bioversity Center of Excellence for Agrobiodiversity Research and Development

The Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) and Bioversity International have a long history of collaboration. In April 2005, CAAS and Bioversity International signed a memorandum of agreement to establish the CAAS-Bioversity Center of Excellence for Agrobiodiversity Research and Development, which wByficially inaugurated at the Institute of Crop Sciences of CAAS. The center aims to promote agricultural sustainable development at national and regional levels by effectively managing agricultural biodiversity, particularly crop genetic resources, to enhance food security, improve health and nutrition, increase incomes, and ameliorate agricultural ecological environments.

By June 2025, the two parties have jointly carried out cooperative research in the collection, conservation, and characterization of crop germplasm resources. They also have collaboratively conducted research on the mechanisms of agricultural biodiversity conservation, developing a diversity index for minor cereal crops in the conservation domain and a citrus diversity index for the production domain. Together, they have organized a series of international and regional seminars, such as the "International Symposium on Agrobiodiversity" and the "International Oat Conference," which have elevated China’s international influence in the field of agricultural biodiversity research, particularly in the conservation and utilization of crop germplasm resources. On May 20, 2025, they co-hosted the "Third International Conference on Agrobiodiversity," themed "Agrobiodiversity for Thriving People and Planet." The conference focused on six core topics, including the role of agricultural biodiversity in promoting economic growth and addressing climate change mitigation, showcasing the latest research findings, technological advances, and practical experiences in the conservation and sustainable use of agricultural biodiversity worldwide.