An International Seminar on Enhancing the Extension of Conservation Agriculture Techniques in Asia and the Pacific was held in Zhengzhou, capital of Henan Province, China, from 24-26 October 2007. APCAEM and the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) of China co-sponsored the Seminar, in close collaboration with China Agricultural University and the local government of Henan Province of China.

More than 120 experts/researchers, policy makers, extension specialists and entrepreneurs from the Ministries of Agriculture, agricultural research institutes, academia and universities, agricultural machinery management, extension services, enterprises and the private sector from 9 countries, including Australia, Canada, China, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Republic of Korea, and Viet Nam took part in the Seminar. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) also participated in the event. Some 32 study reports were presented at the Seminar, focusing on four thematic topics: I. Environmental Implications for CA; II. CA Techniques and Machinery; III. Application and Extension Service of CA; and IV. Strategy and Policy for the Development of CA.

The participants shared experience and advancement in promoting CA techniques, reviewed the current status of CA practice at the national and subnational levels. They also shared the latest findings of the socio-economic and environmental/ecological benefits as well as the lack of public awareness of the CA practice in the region; and exchanged ideas as to how to further enhance the application of the CA system for the Asian and Pacific region.

Conclusions and recommendations were drawn up at the end of the Seminar; One of the recommendations included the establishment of an Asian Network on Extension of Conservation Agriculture (ANCA).

Collaborative/cooperative partnership has been established among the international and local participants and APCAEM, especially with the Ministry of Agriculture of China and FAO, that will serve as a sound basis for future cooperation in the environmentally-sound and ecological agricultural practice, such as the CA.

APCAEM will upload the relevant Seminar materials, including the presented study reports and the final version of conclusions and recommendations on the APCAEM website for information/knowledge sharing among the member countries.