China - Country Office

1. Overview
2. Country Strategy
3. Priorities
4. Key Program Managers
5. Current Projects
6. Concluded Projects
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Country Office

ACIAR's program in China will focus on sustainability aspects of agricultural production through policy and technical projects on better management of land and water resources in north-western China.

In addressing sustainable production, the need to raise farmers' incomes through increased productivity and marketability of produce is also taken into account in project design. In order to reach those most affected by poverty, the program will increasingly target rainfed cropping systems with an emphasis on north-western China (primarily Gansu). In the course of 2008-09 ACIAR will review its focus in north-western China with the intent of strengthening extension of previous and future work and forming a more closely linked cluster of projects.

There is a related but broader emphasis on improving agricultural productivity in Tibet Autonomous Region. Both north-western China and Tibet Autonomous Region are confronting significant environmental challenges which need to be addressed through strategies that foster income growth for smallholders. In recognition of the evolving nature of Australia's development assistance relationship with China, all new activities will take the form of partnerships that include significant co-investment by our Chinese partners.

Australian intergovernmental cooperation

ACIAR projects form only one part of the China-Australia intergovernmental cooperation in agriculture and natural resource management. Australia's aid program in China has largely shifted away from discrete poverty reduction activities towards the sharing of ideas, high-level capacity building and policy engagement. AusAID's China strategy for 2006-10 has the goal of furthering mutual national interest by supporting China's balanced development policies and working together in the region. It has the three strategic objectives of building capacity in selected sectors in China, in particular governance, environment and health; enhancing the Australia-China relationship by building institutional linkages; and working collaboratively to strengthen the region.

ACIAR's China program, while maintaining a focus on sustainable resource management in poorer and environmentally degraded western regions, reflects the strategic objective of building capacity in China. It focuses strongly on capacity enhancement in technical and policy issues relating to the environment, as it is either affected by agricultural production or in turn affects production sustainability. This thematic focus will be enhanced by increased attention to policy development avenues. It will assist in identifying suitable reform programs which enable farmer adjustment and adoption of technical opportunities for income improvements through effective conservation practices. ACIAR's mode of operation in China is through the development of strong institutional linkages between Australian and Chinese government R&D and policymaking organisations, thus supporting the second strategic objective of the overall Australian aid program in China.

Other activities that are taken into account by ACIAR, and which may be alternative sources of support for researchers interested in China include:

• the Australia-China Agricultural Cooperation Agreement (ACACA, ), jointly administered by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) in Australia and the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture. ACACA provides funding for agricultural exchange projects between Australia and China. The present focus is on projects that demonstrate commercial potential and provide clear flow-on benefits to industry. DAFF has also established an Agricultural Technical Cooperation Program with initial projects in wool marketing and grasslands management. In addition, DAFF has formed a Strategic Partnership Agreement with AusAID to strengthen the whole-of-government approach to development cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region. This partnership has helped facilitate recent water management assistance projects with China.
• Australian Government Department of Education Science and Training (DEST) 'International Science Linkages program' . This includes competitive grants under the Australia- China Special Fund for S&T Cooperation, in which agriculture, biotechnology and environmental research form three of the priority areas. In addition, DEST supports international exchanges, targeted scientific and technological individual visits, missions and workshops to promote science and technology collaboration. These are managed by the Australian Academy of Science and the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering .
• the Joint Declaration on Bilateral Cooperation on Climate Change between the Australian Greenhouse Office (Department of Environment and Heritage (DEH)) and the National Development and Reform Commission for China , which sets out cooperation in technology development and policy. ACIAR and the Australian Greenhouse Office are currently jointly funding two projects (LWR/2003/039, LPS/2001/094) which are relevant to both the agricultural sustainability and greenhouse gas reduction agendas.
• the State Bureau of Foreign Experts Affairs of China, which is responsible for accrediting international educators in China, and identifying and negotiating training opportunities across the world which will be of benefit to China. The related China Association for International Exchange of Personnel is a government-sponsored institution also engaged in the international exchange of specialised technical and managerial personnel in several areas, including agriculture, science and technology.