FAO-China South-South Cooperation Programme 12th Annual Consultation Meeting

Rome / Beijing, 11 July 2024 – The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) of the People’s Republic of China reaffirmed their commitment to agrifood system transformations and the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) during the 12th Annual Consultation Meeting (ACM) of the FAO-China South-South Cooperation (SSC) Programme. The meeting was convened virtually and was co-chaired by FAO and MARA.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Anping Ye, Director of the FAO South-South and Triangular Cooperation Division, noted substantial advancements in the Programme's implementation during 2023-24 and expressed his gratitude to the government of China for its long-standing engagement and support for SSC. Mr. Ye also emphasized the broader recognition by FAO Members of the Programme's contribution to FAO’s Strategic Framework and its catalytic role in sustainable agrifood system transformation and underscored the need to further expand the Programme’s reach and impact.

Ms Moli Dong, Division Director of the Department of International Cooperation of MARA, noted the remarkable accomplishment of the Programme during 2023-34 and expressed her deep appreciation to FAO for the key results achieved during the reporting period. She underscored the importance of taking stock of past experiences and the lessons learned through the Programme, and encouraged to “think outside the box” to make South-South and Triangular cooperation an effective instrument for leveraging more financial and technical resources for high impact initiatives. 

Representatives from the Centre of International Cooperation Services (CICOS) and the Foreign Economic Cooperation Centre (FECC) under MARA, who also participated at the meeting, expressed their appreciation to FAO for the milestone achievements during the reporting period and shared valuable and practical insights to make the implementation of the Programme more effective and efficient. 

The 12th ACM reviewed the progress of the FAO-China SSC Programme during 2023-24. Participants acknowledged the Programme's overall impact and milestone achievements during the reporting period, particularly noting major progress in areas such as the acceleration of project formulations and implementation of ongoing projects, the dispatch of Chinese experts to the host countries and organization of high-level study tours.

During the reporting period, the FAO-China SSC Programme managed a diverse portfolio of global, regional, national, and triangular cooperation projects, totaling USD 71 million. These projects covered a wide geographical area and a broad range of technical and thematic areas, including crop and animal production, plant health, fisheries and aquaculture, rural commerce and digitalization, soil and water management, agro-processing, value chain improvement, post-harvest management, and trade.

The ACM discussed the work plan for 2024-2025. The implementation of 11 ongoing projects will be accelerated, and the formulation, approval, and launching of 12 additional global, regional, and national projects will be expedited. Several study tours and capacity-building training courses on important themes such as food loss and waste, digital agriculture, and Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) will also be organized during 2024-2025.

Effective management and coordination between FAO and MARA are critical for the successful implementation of the Programme. While acknowledging recent progress, both parties agreed to enhance communication and coordination to further improve Programme implementation. They also agreed to strengthen monitoring and evaluation under the Programme, and to implement various outreach activities to raise the visibility of the Programme.