Climate change, decreasing biodiversity, declining rural populations, and food-related health issues are some of the key signs reminding us of the growing environmental and social costs associated with our current agri-food systems. A transformation towards a more sustainable food system is urgently needed. As two big agricultural countries, both China and Germany have carried out positive attempts and gained rich experience in re-thinking the ways in which we produce and consume food. Using the food systems approach as a conceptual framework, the workshop zoomed in on digital technologies and the repositioning of agricultural support policies to explore potential pathways towards transformation.

The Chinese and German managing directors of the DCZ, Geng WANG and Jürgen Ritter opened the workshop with two welcome speeches, highlighting the need for a transformation towards sustainable food systems as well as the prospects of Sino-German cooperation in this area. In his welcome address, Jingyun LIU, deputy party secretary of NAU, gave an overview of the longstanding ties between NAU and German research institutions in scientific and technological cooperation. To access the full article click HERE