Guangxi, ASEAN forge new agricultural-poverty reduction cooperation

The China (Guangxi)-ASEAN Agricultural and Poverty Reduction Cooperation Conference opened in Nanning on Sept 18.

Hosted by the People's Government of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in China, it attracted delegates from ASEAN agricultural sectors, the UN World Food Programme, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 20 provincial authorities, scholars, and enterprises.

Representatives from all sectors gather together. [Photo/Guangxi Daily]

The event aimed to enhance regional agricultural cooperation and alleviate poverty. Participants explored innovations in smart agricultural technology, models for poverty reduction, resource allocation and the pursuit of high-quality productivity, emphasizing the development of green, efficient and inclusive modern agricultural systems.

Guangxi emphasized its achievements in seizing national AI development opportunities. It linked research efforts in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou with local initiatives and ASEAN applications, advanced the China-ASEAN AI Innovation and Cooperation Center, and achieved record-high agricultural trade while increasing two-way investment with ASEAN.

The conference also emphasized the need for collaborative efforts to establish frameworks for smart agriculture and systems for digital technology innovation, using the development of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0 as a new point of departure.

Four major deals were finalized, including cross-border animal disease prevention and China-Laos smart agriculture cooperation. Guangxi Vocational University of Agriculture signed an agreement with a Laotian company for crop trials and talent development.

Four cooperation agreements are signed at the meeting. [Photo/Guangxi Daily]

An "AI + Agriculture" exhibition and a Guangxi agricultural show exhibiting smart farm machinery and products such as Liubao Tea. In 2024, their agricultural trade value reached 30.29 billion yuan ($4.2 billion), a 56.5 percent increase compared to 2018.

This year, Guangxi conducted meetings with Vietnam focused on smart agriculture to strengthen collaboration in digital sugarcane farming.