China-Canada Agriculture Development Program funded by Canadian International Development Agency(CIDA).
SMALL FARMERS ADAPTING TO GLOBAL MARKETS PROJECT
Current market trends in the agriculture sector and China's recent accession to the WTO are having a significant impact on the incomes and livelihoods of the millions of small farmers in the western regions of China. Concurrently, the combination of rapid urbanization and rising per capita incomes is creating a demand for a wider range of more specialized foods compared to the traditional, mainly grain-based foods of the past. Food processors are demanding higher quality, safe food for domestic consumption that also meets international standards for export opportunities. These developments are having a profound effect on agricultural reform and are affecting rural communities. In order to assist China's small farmers to adapt to these new demands, gain new market access, improve rural livelihoods and meet China's obligations as a member of the WTO, the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) agreed to implement the "Small Farmers Adapting to Global Markets Project". China and Canada began the implementation of this project on April 1, 2003 in consultation with key Chinese government ministries, industry representatives, research institutes and other international donors. Canada's contribution to the project is estimated at CND $19.7 million (approximately 120 million RMB) over a period of 5 years and this will be supported by an equivalent counterpart budget from the Government of China.
The Canadian Executing Agency for the project is Canada’s ministry of Agriculture, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), while MOFCOM ordinates the participation of the Chinese ministries. Project activities include a comprehensive capacity building program through training of key national and provincial decision-makers and policymakers in food and feed safety, plant and animal health, trade and agricultural policy reform. The project will be supporting related policy research activities and, most importantly, developing a number of commodity focused, field based projects to ensure that the major beneficiaries of the training and technical assistance will be small farmers based in western China. The project implementation is overseen by a Board of Directors consisting of senior officials from MOFCOM, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Health, the Administration for Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, the Ministry of Finance, the State Food and Drug Administration, the Development Research Center, the State Development and Reform Commission, CIDA and AAFC.
PhaseII (SADP II)
The majority of China's poorest women and men live in the Western Regions of China and still rely primarily on agriculture for their livelihood. Continued and enhanced growth in the economy of the Western Regions is absolutely essential if China is to continue to reduce poverty, prevent social instability, and reduce the inequity between the poor western regions and the better off coastal areas. However, sustainability of natural resources remains a key constraint to future growth in the Western Regions. Continued poverty reduction programming in many parts of Western China compromised by widespread land degradation and dust storms have proven to be a tough challenge for China. To support China in the development of innovative land management technologies and extension services to promote sustainable land use in the Western Regions, the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) agreed to implement the “Sustainable Agriculture Development Project-Phase II” in selected western provinces, including Inner Mongolia, Gansu, Xinjiang, Sichuan, Xiangxi Prefecture of Hunan and Enshi Prefecture of Hubei.
The expected outcomes for the rural western regions where the project will be active are:
1. Adaptation of land resource management systems for sustainable agriculture;
2. Enhanced Sustainable Agriculture Extension Systems, and;
3. Improved enabling environment for sustainable land resource management.
China and Canada began the implementation of this project on Oct.15, 2004 in consultation with key Chinese government ministries, industry representatives, research institutes and other international donors. Canada’s contribution to the project is estimated at CND$ 20,000,000 (approximately 130 million RMB) over a period of 5 years and this will be supported by an equivalent counterpart budget from the Government of China. Canadian project inputs concentrate on the provision of Canadian and Chinese Long-Term Technical Advisors (LTTAs), short term consultants and training programs in China and Canada.
The Canadian executing agency for the project is Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), while the Ministry of Agriculture of China assumes the Chinese responsibilities related to the implementation of the project in China. The project implementation is overseen by a Central Coordination Committee co-chaired by CIDA and MOFCOM and consists of the Director General for Sustainable Production Systems from AAFC, relevant MOA departments and institutions, and the Directors General of the agriculture and animal husbandry bureaus of the project provinces/prefectures.
This Phase II SADP builds on the initiatives of Phase I which was implemented in Inner Mongolia that have the potential for broader applicability to other western development areas. Project activities involve the sharing of Canadian experiences, institutional capacity building, the enhancement or development of appropriate policies, technologies and systems to improve land management and extension services, training in Canada and in China, practical attachments in Canada and assistance in the creation and development of farmer organizations. Project activities will be implemented at both the central and provincial levels, while demonstration sites are supported at the county, village and household levels. At the national level the project will focus on capacity building for senior administrators and decision-makers and policy research in support of project objectives. Field based programs will focus on pilot counties to demonstrate sustainable agriculture strategies and their extension to other areas and regions.
THE CANADA-CHINA ANIMAL HEALTH INITIATIVE
The China Canada Animal Health Initiative (CCAHI) is being implemented under a memorandum of understanding between the Governments of China and Canada and is funded by the Canadian International Development Agency. In China, the project is coordinated by the Department of International Cooperation and the Department of Animal Husbandry and Disease Control of the Ministry of Agriculture of the People’s Republic of China.
The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) bilateral projects have been involved in many aspects of the development of the livestock industry in China since 1983. This experience has clearly demonstrated that smallholder livestock producers are at significant risk as a result of compromised animal health with production losses. In addition, major concerns have been raised over the health status of the national livestock resources in China with particular emphasis on recent outbreaks of important diseases and the impact on food safety. This situation has been further exacerbated with China’s accession to the World Trade Organization. Annual increases in livestock production of 12-15% and concurrent increase in demand for dietary protein from meat and dairy products is expected to continue for at least the next 10 years. The livestock industry is required to provide consumers with safe, high quality food products and the most important constraints to efficient livestock production and food safety are the losses due to diseases and inadequate animal health services.
The China Canada animal health initiative, as outlined below, will be implemented through the co-operation of the ongoing swine and dairy projects. The contribution of resources from these projects will consist of Canadian Technical Assistance (TA), training programs and operational expenses for the Canadian TA. The swine (Agriteam Canada) and dairy (Semex Alliance) projects are presently being implemented by separate Canadian Executing Agencies (CEA’S) and these CEAs will work together to integrate their respective budgets and activities in support of this initiative.
The project activities cover the period April 2002 to March 2004 and are intended to be adjuncts to the existing swine and dairy projects. The initiative will complete a needs analysis and will provide a human resource base and a springboard for the Government of China, Ministry of Agriculture and CIDA to expand upon in future programs.
This initiative will attempt to achieve two basic types of outcomes on a pilot basis. The first is the national animal health program which is primarily related to the development of recognized Disease Free Zones in accordance with the national program and which meets international standards under the WTO/OIE guidelines. The second area of emphasis will be the development of on-farm herd health programs for both dairy and swine. Within the context of these three outcomes, efforts will be made to develop and test sustainable models for the effective reform of the veterinary service system in China. Activities will be restricted to manageable geographical areas and technical parameters related to swine and dairy herd health programs.
Baseline studies, needs analysis, diagnostic laboratories, quality control standards, testing protocols, herd health programs, immunization strategies and food safety issues will be addressed and dealt with (to the extent feasible) within the limited budget and resources. The joint project is expected to facilitate institutional linkages that will serve as the framework for policy development and a basis for long-term GOC commitment to these initiatives. This work will provide some immediate short-term results to provide the appropriate technical parameters and justification for future, more comprehensive and wide-reaching programs in support of effective animal health services. Consideration will also be given to farm level quality assurance strategies for the millions of livestock producers who depend on this agriculture for their livelihood, which will produce safe food products for consumers.
