XIEG Holds 65th Salon for Scientific Exchange

On October 21, the Office of International Cooperation of the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences (XIEG), held the 65th Salon for Scientific Exchange. This event featured Dr. Peter T Gilruth, Senior Advisor at the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) in Kenya, as the keynote speaker.

ZHANG Yuanming, Director of XIEG, attended the event, which was moderated by QIAO Jianfang, head of the Office of International Cooperation. The event drew Chinese and international researchers and graduate students from the institute.

Under the theme “Combining Chinese and African science and technology for dryland restoration: Opportunities for the Sahel”, Dr. Gilruth focused on how China and Africa can leverage their technological expertise and practical experience in dryland ecological management.

He discussed ways to solve ecological problems in the Sahel, including water scarcity, vegetation degradation, and prominent human–land conflicts. He explored feasible pathways for the two sides to complement each other's technological resources and learn from each other's experience, offering new perspectives for ecological restoration and sustainable development in dryland regions.

In his presentation, Dr. Gilruth noted that China has mature technologies and models for dryland ecological management, including species selection and breeding, water-saving irrigation, and desertification control. These can be adapted and applied in African drylands such as the Sahel, based on local climatic conditions, soil characteristics, and social needs.

Both sides can use their respective field observation stations and data platforms to build a joint ecological monitoring network and provide long-term data support. The two sides can also jointly assess the ecological, economic, and social benefits of dryland restoration projects, developing replicable and scalable solutions for global dryland governance. The framework can be expanded to include more research institutions, international organizations, and local stakeholders, jointly advancing China–Africa dryland research and development toward greater depth and breadth.

During the discussion session, Dr. Gilruth engaged in in-depth exchanges with participating researchers on issues including technology localization and adaptation, the funding sustainability of long-term cooperative projects, and pathways for local research institutions to participate in restoration projects.

ZHANG Yuanming spoke highly of Dr. Gilruth's presentation. He stated that cooperation between the two sides will surely contribute to humanity's efforts to combat desertification.

The salon served as a bridge for cross-border academic exchange among Chinese and international researchers at the institute and provided new ideas and directions for further expanding collaborative research in China–Africa dryland regions.

Dr. Peter T Gilruth with salon participants. (Image by XIEG)

Contact

HUANG Zhuanli

Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography

E-mail: zlhuang@ms.xjb.ac.cn

Web: http://english.egi.cas.cn