On October 25th, the launch meeting of project "The control mechanism and technology of black earth erosion”, a specialized international-cooperated scientific and technological innovation project of the 13th Five-Year Plan National Key Research & Development Initiative which is directed by Professor Zheng Fenli from the Institute of Soil and Water Constitution, was held in Northwest A&F University. Vice President Qian Yonghua attended the meeting.

The panel of expert was consisted of academician Shan Lun, Professor Zhao Yusen from Northeast Forestry University, Professor Wang Yujie from Beijing Forestry University, President Li Rui from World Association of Soil and Water Conservation, professorate senior engineer Yao Wenyi from Yellow River Institute of Hydraulic Research, Director Liu Guobin from Institute of Soil and Water Constitution, researcher Chen Liding from Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences China Academy of Sciencese, Professor Wang Jingkuan from Shenyang Agricultural University, researcher Yan Baixing from Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Professor Gao Qiang from Jilin Agricultural University. Senior researcher Xunchang Zhang, relevant officials, and project key staff from the project’s American partner Forage and Range Research Laboratory – USDA, also attended the meeting.

Director Li Shanshan of China Science & Technology Exchange Center eloboraed on the Initiative’s background, features of specialized international-cooperated scientific and technological innovation project, project assessment procedure and management requirement. Professor Zheng Fenli detailed the project’s general design, research objective, content, task allocation, plan implementation, anticipated goal, and working schedule etc.

The panel highly appreciated the feasibility of the project and its plan; they also provided constructive comment and conducted full discussions from aspects of technology, management, foreign affair, etc. The project team will modify and perfect the plan with reference to the feedback so as to carry forward the project.

"The control mechanism and technology of black earth erosion” project was co-applied by Northest A&F University, Forage and Range Research Laboratory – USDA, and six other universities and scientific research institutions from home and abroad. The value of the project contract is RMB 13.85 million yuan, within which RMB 13.55 million yuan specially funded by the Central Government. The implementation will last 3 years, with focus on the issues of grain security, black earth resource conservation and sustainable usage in the countries along the Belt and Road. Through cooperation on mechanism research, the project aims to bring forth new ideas to the multi-agent complex erosion theories, optimize the deployment suitable for water and soil conservation on slope in black earth complex erosion environment, form China-model black earth complex erosion treatment, and improve China’s international influence on soil erosion research. The project looks forward to achieving win-win cooperation mechanism, realizing the fast development of Sino-US joint research platform, and promoting the international scientific cooperation on water and soil conservation in the black earth area along the Belt and Road.

Translated by: Zhao Rui

Proofread by: Yan Xianhui