Building a Resilient Agrifood System: 2025 World Agrifood Innovation Conference Opens in Beijing

BEIJING, Oct. 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On October 13, the 2025 World Agrifood Innovation Conference (WAFI 2025) opened in Pinggu District, Beijing. Nearly 800 scientists, entrepreneurs, and experts from over 90 countries and regions gathered to discuss the development of a resilient agrifood system, exploring solutions to global challenges and pathways for sustainable growth under key themes such as South-South cooperation, protected agriculture, controlled-environment agriculture, and smart livestock farming.

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Experts at the conference emphasized that the global agrifood system is facing mounting pressures from intensifying climate change, geopolitical instability, and continuous population growth. Building a secure and stable resilient agrifood system is essential for global food security and the sustainable development of humanity.

Statistics show that China feeds nearly 20% of the world's population with only about 9% of the world's arable land and 6% of its freshwater resources. Scientific and technological innovation has become a critical driver of agricultural advancement. In recent years, regions across China have leveraged their unique resource endowments and technological strengths to promote ecological, intelligent, and industrial transformation in agriculture through diverse approaches -- including industry-academia-research collaboration, advanced breeding technologies, smart cultivation, specialty industry development, and ecological improvement.

"Innovation in science and technology is key to implementing the holistic food concept and building a resilient agrifood system," said Zhong Denghua, Party Secretary of China Agricultural University. "China continues to advance scientific research, talent development, and the commercialization of agricultural technologies, injecting strong momentum into the modernization of its agriculture and contributing Chinese wisdom and solutions to global agrifood resilience."

At the opening ceremony, several landmark initiatives were unveiled, including the upgraded Phase 2.0 development plan for Beijing's "Agricultural Zhongguancun" Core Zone and China Agricultural University's Shennong Large Model 3.0.

"As the core zone of Beijing's 'Agricultural Zhongguancun,' Pinggu has consistently prioritized scientific and technological innovation as its central driving force,"said Peng Shi, Deputy Mayor of Pinggu District, Beijing. "We have achieved a series of notable outcomes in synthetic biology, key technology transfer, and enterprise clustering." To date, Pinggu has attracted major agrifood enterprises such as Beijing Capital Agribusiness & Foods Group, Bayer, and Molbreeding; established 117 "Doctor Farms"; drawn in 411 agricultural experts; and facilitated the application of more than 100 scientific and technological achievements.

International participants expressed their eagerness to deepen and broaden collaboration with Chinese counterparts in areas such as modern seed industry, smart agriculture, intelligent agricultural equipment, and industry-academia integration, aiming to jointly enhance global food security and co-create a resilient future for the agrifood system.

The conference is co-hosted by China Agricultural University, the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the Pinggu District People's Government of Beijing Municipality, and the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). It will run through October 15.

Source: 2025 World Agrifood Innovation Conference

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