KNOWLEDGE FOR LIFE

development projects

Climate change is likely to have a huge impact on agriculture in China and as a result, on poverty. Recent studies have predicted that by 2050 climate change could reduce China’s agricultural output by up to 37%. China’s farmers therefore need appropriate options to adapt to climate change and be resilient to it.

A number of research studies have, and are, focused on tackling this difficult task. However, because of the complexity of agricultural systems, many key knowledge gaps remain.

what is this project doing?This project helps to foster closer cooperation and interaction between Chinese and UK researchers supporting the China–UK Sustainable Agriculture Innovation Network (SAIN: www.sainonline.org/English), established to provide a coherent framework for development and implementation of sustainable agriculture.

Through a structured programme of knowledge exchange and joint research between Chinese and UK researchers, the project aims to communicate both the impacts of climate change on agriculture and the benefits of sustainable farming systems to representatives from farming communities, researchers and policymakers.

helping China’s farmers adapt to climate change

locationsChina

date2010 – 2012

CABI project teamQiaoqiao ZhangMin WanFook Wing ChanLoke Wai HongFeng Zhang

Conducting literature reviews and surveys in farming communities, the project will establish the level ofawareness and current research that has already taken place on sustainable farming systems in China. Fromthis, the project will build the capacity of Chinese researchers through training programmes and help farmersunderstand and adapt to climate change by raising awareness of the strategies available.

To help disseminate our progress we will produce a bi-lingual website in both Chinese and English, pressreleases, posters, project summaries and our findings. Applying CABI’s expertise, the communication aspectsof the project will be mainly down to us. Our role is to bring everyone together and help them to discuss theissues and share their ideas.

By helping researchers and farmers adapt to a new landscape, the project will promote sustainable agriculture,and strengthen the capacity of researchers and farmers to respond to the impacts of climate change.

results so farSo far, we’ve built and populated the website (www.sainclimatechange.org) which allows scientists to uploadtheir project information, provides a discussion forum, caters for feedback and shares the latest news on thetopic. All the key content information has been translated into Chinese and a database has been developed tocapture and categorize project information. Also, a mobile version of the website has been launched to promotecoverage on different technology platforms.

The project will continue to encourage scientists to upload information and use the forums. In addition,materials for farmers are being produced to raise awareness of the impacts of climate change and the optionsavailable to them.

contactCABI, Nosworthy Way, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8DE, UK T: +44 (0)1491 829352 E: q.zhang@cabi.org www.cabi.org

www.cabi.org/climatechangeID

-CC

C-0

6-12

partnersWalker Institute for Climate System Research, University of ReadingInstitute of Environment and Sustainable Development on Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (IEDA, CAAS)University of LeedsMet Office Hadley CentreCABIInstitute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IAP, CAAS)Tyndall Centre for Climate Change ResearchUniversity of HertfordshireInner Mongolia Academy of Agricultural & Animal Husbandry SciencesAnhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences

sponsor

DefraQlaoqlao Zhang, CABI Project Manager