国际马铃薯中心主任西蒙·埃克访问中国农科院甘薯研究所

2023年10月23日，国际马铃薯中心主任西蒙·埃克博士访问中国农科院甘薯研究所（徐州市农业科学院），参观了研究所基因库、试验室和试验田等设施，与国家甘薯产业技术体系首席科学家、院长李强和国家甘薯产业技术体系副首席科学家、副院长曹清河等进行了广泛深入交流，达成进一步合作的许多共识。 

访问期间，埃克博士对徐州农科院在甘薯育种、加工和利用等方面科研所取得的成就表示高度赞赏，感谢徐州农科院在甘薯种质资源方面与国际马铃薯中心的交换，指出当前及未来农业发展面临着资源约束、气候变化等严峻挑战，而甘薯的优势将为人类应对气变、改善营养和消除饥饿、贫困发挥更大的作用。徐州农科院所取得的成就无疑将对亚非拉发展中国家产生积极影响，国际马铃薯中心希望进一步扩大与徐州农科院的合作，要建立合作机制，制定合作规划，长短结合，共同为全球粮食安全、减贫和农业可持续发展做出贡献。 

李强院长和曹清河副院长完全赞成埃克总干事的意见，表示将与国际马铃薯中心亚太中心一道，深入研究制定合作机制和规划，近期准备双方签署合作协议，并探讨共建联合实验室的可行性。 

国际马铃薯中心亚太中心主任谢建民、国际马铃薯中心计划部主任阿列桑卓陪同访问。 

 

On October 23, 2023, Dr. Simon Heck, Director General of the International Potato Center (CIP), visited the Sweet Potato Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (Xuzhou Academy of Agricultural Sciences, XZAAS) and facilities such as the institute’s gene bank, laboratory, and experimental field. After extensive and in-depth exchanges with Dr. Li Qiang, Chief Scientist and President of the National Sweet Potato Industry Technology System, and Dr. Cao Qinghe, Deputy Chief Scientist and Vice President of the National Sweet Potato Industry Technology System and they have reached consensuses for further cooperation. 

During his visit, Dr. Heck highly applauded the achievements of XZAAS in sweet potato breeding, processing, and utilization research. He expressed gratitude for the exchange of sweet potato germplasm resources between XZAAS and the CIP. He pointed out that the current and future agricultural development is facing severe challenges such as resource constraints and climate change, and sweet potatoes will help humanity in coping with climate change, improving nutrition, and eliminating hunger and poverty. The achievements of XZAAS will undoubtedly have a positive impact on developing countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. CIP hopes to further expand cooperation with XZAAS, establish a cooperation mechanism, formulate a cooperation plan, combine the long- and short-term mechanism, and jointly contribute to global food security, poverty reduction, and sustainable agricultural development. 

President Li Qiang and Vice President Cao Qinghe fully agree with the opinions of Director General of Heck, stating that they will work together with CIP-China Center for Asia and Pacific (CCCAP) to conduct in-depth research and develop a cooperation mechanism and plan. They are preparing to sign a cooperation agreement between the two sides in the near future and explore the feasibility of jointly building a joint laboratory. 

Mr. Jianmin Xie, Director of CCCAP, and Ms. Alessandro Furtado, Director of Programme of CIP, accompanied the visit.