North Asia

ACIAR has had a program with China since 1984. Major areas of research have included agricultural water management, selection of Australian trees suited to Chinese forestry, improvement and integrated pest management in Brassica crops, studies of livestock production and diseases with a focus on sheep and wool, quality management in stored grains, and broadacre crop and citrus improvement. Adoption of conservation tillage in some central western provinces has been recognised as part of the solution to improve crop management and reduce wind-blown dust in Beijing. Over the last decade the focus of ACIAR's program has shifted towards western China, in line with the need to raise farmers' incomes in this part of the country and to better manage land and water resources.

In view of the significant human and financial resources now available within the Chinese National Agricultural Research System, and the strong mutual benefits to Australia, ACIAR requires Chinese and Australian research providers to substantially share costs of projects in China. ACIAR will usually seek a funding commitment through case-by-case exchanges of letters at the development stage of full project proposals. Only a small proportion of the highest priority projects can be supported. Projects chosen must:

• address the highest priority of Chinese partners
• address overall Australia-China development policy (to 'further mutual interest by supporting China's balanced development policies and working together in the region') complement other schemes for China-Australia collaboration, including the AusAID Australia-China Environment and Development program
• be in areas where the overwhelming driver is Australian technical comparative advantage
• complement rather than duplicate activities of other (larger) donors.