MESSAGE OF CONGRATULATION TO THE

GANSU GRASSLAND ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE (GGERI)

AND THE COLLEGE OF PASTORAL AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE

AT LANZHOU UNIVERSITY

On the occasion of the 30^th anniversary of the establishment of the Gansu Grassland Ecological Research Institute (GGERI), and the 9^th anniversary of its incorporation within Lanzhou University as the College of Pastoral Agricultural Science, we send warm congratulations from Australia.

GGERI was initiated by Professor Ren Jizhou (a leading Chinese scientist in grassland science) in Gansu Province in 1981 with office and laboratories in Lanzhou and a field research station at Xifeng.  In 1985 the Chinese Government and the Australian Government through the Australian Development Assistance Bureau (ADAB) signed an agreement for a 5 year (1986-1991) joint project to research and implement measures to reduce erosion and raise incomes and living standards of farm families in two counties on the Loess Plateau adjoining the Xifeng field station.  The Project was titled “The Gansu Grassland Agricultural Systems Research and Development Project”.  GGERI was selected by the Chinese Government to implement the project and Hassall & Associates was selected by ADAB to manage the Australian inputs. 

The Chinese research team was led by Professor Ren Jizhou and his capable deputies (Zhang Zihe and Ge Tang).  The Australian team consisted of the resident Australian Project Manager (Huon Hassall) and two long term experts in research and farming systems.  They were supported by visiting short term experts in the fields of agronomy, animal husbandry and economics.  This team worked in close cooperation with the staff from GGERI and at the field station in Xifeng and with the local County agricultural and livestock extension personnel.  The project was progressed well and was evaluated as the model of Australia-China collaboration. In 1989 Huon Hassall received the award “Outstanding Foreign Expert” from the Chinese Premier, Li Peng, for his “conscientious work and remarkable achievements”. 

Research and development activities covered the introduction and assessment of pasture plants (especially lucerne), comparative feeding trials for rabbits and poultry, urea supplements for sheep and goats, fodder and grain crop species comparisons, legume/grain crop rotations and establishment and economic analysis of different farming systems incorporating intensive cash crops (fruit and vegetables) and small livestock enterprises (rabbits and poultry). 

During the last 15 years, GGERI has been involved in several research projects supported by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), the Crawford Fund, Chinese funding bodies and research organisations in both countries.  These projects have concerned the management of natural grasslands, the application of systems models to the development of cropping/pasture systems and the genetic improvement of lucerne.  Through these projects and the visits of scientists, GGERI has established strong collaborative networks with many Australian research institutions, including several universities, CSIRO, state (Australian provincial) departments of agriculture and private Australian agricultural consulting firms.  These activities have lifted the profile in Australia of the GGERI research teams and have raised awareness in Australia of the quality of China’s research on grasslands and its efforts to develop improved management of grasslands.  GGERI has also established collaboration with research groups in the USA (Texas Tech University), New Zealand (Massey University and AgResearch New Zealand), Canada (Guelph University) and other countries.

GGERI has made a significant contribution to the international grassland community through participation in international conferences, including the International Grassland Congress and International Rangelands Congress.  Scientists from GGERI have presented many scientific papers at these Congresses, including keynote papers by invitation. Over a period of several years Chinese pasture scientists (notably Professor Hong Fuzeng from China Agricultural University and Professor Nan Zhibiao and Professor Ren Jizhou from GGERI) worked with international colleagues to negotiate for China to host the joint 21^st International Grassland Congress/8^th International Rangelands Congress (Hohhot, July 2008). More than 40 staff and postgraduate students from GGERI/LZU attended that Congress, and Professor Nan Zhibiao was appointed to the IGC Continuing Committee.

We are confident that GGERI and LZU will continue to contribute to pasture research, both in China and on the international scene. We are also confident that the scientific results of pasture science will continue to be implemented to improve pasture management practices in China. We wish the scientists every success in their research and development projects.

Huon Hassall

Director Hassall & Associates (1964-1994)

Receipt of the Outstanding Foreign Expert awarded by the Chinese Central Government (1989)

Bob Clements

Fellow of Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering

Director, ACIAR, 1995-2002

Executive Director, Crawford Fund, 2002-2008

Receipt of the Outstanding Foreign Expert awarded by the Chinese Central Government (2005)

致甘肃草原生态研究所30周年所庆和yl23455永利10大9周年院庆的贺信

值甘肃草原生态研究所建所30周年和yl23455永利10大建院9周年之际，澳大利亚同行特致以衷心的祝贺！

1981年，中国草业的领军人物任继周教授在甘肃省创立了甘肃草原生态研究所，包括在兰州的办公室、实验室以及在庆阳市西峰区的野外研究站。1985年，中国政府和澳大利政府（由澳大利亚发展援助局代表）签订了一个为期五年（1986-1991）的合作项目协议，该项目旨在减少黄土高原水土流失、提高西峰野外站周边农户收入和生活水平。因此，项目名称为“甘肃草地农业系统研究和发展项目”。中国政府指派甘肃草原生态研究所执行该项目，而澳方则派Hassall联合咨询公司负责。

中方的研究团队由任继周教授领导，由张自和和戈棠协助开展工作。澳方的研究团队由澳方项目主管（Huon Hassall）和两位来自研究和农业系统方面的长期专家组成，大量来自农学、畜牧业和经济领域的短期访问专家协助他们开展工作。该团队与来自甘肃草原生态研究所和西峰野外站的同行以及当地政府负责农业和畜牧业的人员进行了密切合作。该项目进展良好，成为中澳合作的典范。1989年，Huon Hassall因其“严谨工作和突出成就”被中国政府总理李鹏授予“杰出外国专家”的荣誉称号。

该项目的研究和发展活动包括：牧草（尤其苜蓿）的引进和评估，兔和家禽的比较性饲喂，绵羊和山羊的尿素添加，饲料和谷物比较，豆科/谷物轮作及其建立，以及包含集约型经济作物（水果和蔬菜）和小型家畜（兔和家禽）公司的各种农业系统的经济学分析等。

在过去的15年里，甘肃草原生态研究所参加了澳大利亚国际农业研究中心、克劳福德基金会、中国基金团体和两国其他研究组织资助的一系列研究项目。这些项目关注天然草地的管理，系统模型在作物/牧草系统发展中的应用，以及苜蓿的遗传改良等。通过这些项目的执行和科学家的访问交流，甘肃草原生态研究所与澳大利亚的研究机构建立了强大的合作网络，包括多所大学、联邦科学与工业研究组织、州农业部以及澳大利亚私营农业顾问公司等。这些活动提升了甘肃草原生态研究所研究团队在澳大利亚的地位，也提高了澳大利亚对中国草原研究质量和他们致力于发展改良的草原管理而做出的努力的认识。他们还与美国德州理工大学、新西兰梅西大学和新西兰国家农业研究所、加拿大圭尔夫大学和其他国家的研究机构建立了合作关系。

甘肃草原生态研究所通过参加国际会议，包括国际草地大会和国际天然草原大会，为国际草原团体的发展作出了巨大贡献。来自该所的科学家在大会上提交了许多科研论文，包括特邀论文。几年前，中国草业科学家（尤其来自中国农业大学的洪绂曾教授和来自甘肃草原生态研究所的南志标教授、任继周教授）与国际同行讨论了中国同时举办第21届国际草地大会和第8届国际天然草原大会的事情。来自甘肃草原生态研究所的40多位学者和研究生参加了该次大会，南志标教授在会上当选国际草地大会连续委员会委员。

我们确信，甘肃草原生态研究所和yl23455永利10大将一如既往地为中国和世界草业研究做出贡献。我们也相信，草业科学的研究结果将继续被用来改善中国的草业管理实践。我们期望草业科学家们在草业科学研究和发展方面取得更大成功。

Huon Hassall

Hassall 联合咨询公司（1964-1994）主席

1989年中华人民共和国中央人民政府授予的“杰出外国专家”荣誉称号获得者 

Bob Clements

澳大利亚科学技术和工程院院士

澳大利亚国际农业研究中心主任（1995-2002）

克劳福德基金会主席（2002-2008）

2005年中华人民共和国中央人民政府授予的“杰出外国专家”荣誉称号获得者