The International Seminar on Application of Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Facility in Agricultural Sector: Household Biogas and Conservation Tillage was successfully held in Beijing, China, from 10 to 11 May 2010.  Around 100 participants from the UN agencies, Chinese governmental agencies, NGOs, universities and research institutions, and the private sector attended the Seminar.

The Seminar was organized by United Nations Asian and Pacific Centre for Agricultural Engineering and Machinery (UNAPCAEM) in partnership with the Department of Climate Change of the National Development and Reform Commission of the People’s Republic of China (NDRC); and the Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (IESDA-CAAS).

UNAPCAEM, in close collaboration with IESDA-CAAS, conducted the feasibility study and designed methodology guidelines for CDM project development in conservation agriculture and household biogas in China from late 2008 to 2009.  Funded by the Spanish MDG Achievement Fund, as a component of the Joint Programme of the UN Country Team in China on China Climate Change Partnership Framework (CCPF), the project is aimed at exploring CDM projects in the agricultural sector in China so as to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote the development of sustainable agriculture.

The Seminar was held to share the outputs of the study as well as experiences in implementing CDM projects in the agricultural sector.  According to the study, CDM projects could be developed in conservation agriculture and biogas to help increase the carbon stock, reduce fossil fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, and improve sustainable natural resource management in China.

Guest speakers from IESDA-CAAS, FAO, University of Queensland of Australia, Royal Institute of Technology of Sweden, Biogas Research Institute and Conservation Agriculture Research Centre of the Ministry of Agriculture of China made presentations. Presentations and discussions focused on methodology guidelines for CDM project development, innovative bio-energy technologies, development of biogas and conservation agriculture in rural China, and sustainable cropping and its impact on greenhouse gas emissions.  Seminar participants expressed great interests in exploring the CDM potential in China’s agricultural sector and around the world.  They also shared experiences and addressed challenges in promoting CDM projects.

A visit to a conservation agriculture demonstration site and machinery service station in the outskirts of Beijing was organized after the Seminar.  Participants emphasized that conservation agriculture provided examples of good practices that countries, especially developing countries in the Asia-Pacific region, can adopt to mitigate the effects of climate change and promote sustainable agriculture.