ICS-CAAS and IRRI Jointly Convene the 2026 Symposium on Rice Development

On May 14, the 2026 Symposium on Rice Development was held at Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City in Sanya, Hainan. The symposium was jointly organized by the Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (ICS-CAAS), the National Nanfan Research Institute (Sanya) of CAAS, and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). Officials and experts attending included Sun Tan (Vice President of CAAS; Member of the Leading Party Group, CAAS); Yang Wenqiang, Deputy Director General of the Hainan Provincial Department of Science and Technology; Fan Mu, Vice Mayor of Sanya; Yvonne Pinto, Director General of IRRI; Zhai Lin, Deputy Director General, Department of International Cooperation, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS); Peng Jun, Director General of the National Nanfan Research Institute; Prof. Wang Wensheng, Deputy Director General of ICS-CAAS; and Wang Kejian, Deputy Director General of the China National Rice Research Institute. The symposium was chaired by Prof. Zheng Xiaoming of ICS-CAAS, Director of IRRI’s China Office.

Participants heard detailed presentations from representatives of the partner institutions on their institutional profiles, research strengths in rice, and priorities and implementation pathways for cooperation over the next five years. They held in-depth discussions on innovation in rice breeding, germplasm evaluation, the development of climate-resilient varieties, green and low-carbon production, multi-location testing and regional adaptation assessment, exchanges among young researchers, and South–South cooperation. All parties agreed that South–South cooperation should be an important area of future collaboration and that rice breeding innovation should be the central task of the partnership over the next five years. They called for stronger joint research on the identification of superior germplasm, precise evaluation of important agronomic traits, the development of climate-resilient varieties and varieties with high and stable yields, nutritional quality improvement, green and low-carbon production, multi-location testing, and regional adaptation assessment, thereby extending the contribution of rice breeding from meeting regional needs to serving global demand.

In his address, Fan Mu noted that Sanya is home to a national base for off-season crop research and breeding and serves as an important hub for the strategic partnership between China and IRRI and for translating research into practice. In recent years, building on Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City, Sanya has prioritized the development of Nanfan Science and Technology City, the Global Animal and Plant Germplasm Introduction and Transfer Base, and Bio Valley. These efforts are accelerating the development of Nanfan Silicon Valley and promoting innovation in the seed industry and the application of research results. Sanya will continue to improve its business environment and conditions for research and innovation, provide support for deeper practical cooperation, and help implement the consensus reached at the symposium.

Yvonne Pinto emphasized that IRRI attaches great importance to its strategic partnership with China and to the role of Hainan and Sanya’s Yazhou Bay as international platforms for seed industry innovation. She expressed the hope that the symposium would help the two sides define their cooperation tasks for the next five years in key areas including precise characterization of superior germplasm, climate-resilient variety development, nutritional quality improvement, multi-location testing, and international dissemination. She called for specific joint projects and measurable outcomes that would make greater contributions to global food security and sustainable agricultural development.

Sun Tan emphasized the strong foundation of cooperation between CAAS and IRRI. Since 1970, the two institutions have maintained collaboration in rice germplasm exchange, genetic resource evaluation, variety improvement, researcher training, international projects, and the development of research platforms, achieving significant results. The CAAS–IRRI Sanya International Rice Breeding Center, jointly established in 2022, provides a platform for further joint research and international cooperation. He expressed the hope that the two sides would build on this foundation to broaden and strengthen their partnership, open a new chapter in global rice science and technology, and make further contributions to building a community with a shared future for humanity and safeguarding global food security.

During the symposium, participants also visited relevant facilities to learn about innovation in off-season crop research and breeding in Hainan, germplasm and breeding activities, and the application of research results.

More than 30 representatives attended, including officials from relevant departments of the Hainan Provincial Government and the Sanya Municipal Government, and representatives of relevant CAAS institutions, the Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, SDIC Seed, and other organizations.