In November 2024, Hu Zhiquan, Chief Scientist of the Theory and Policy Innovation Team for Agricultural and Rural Modernization (TPITARM) at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), embarked on a mission to Morocco to attend the second annual meeting of the Consortium for Research, Development, and Innovation in the Souss Massa region. The visit aimed at conducting collaborative research on international agricultural modernization development models, leveraging the TPITARM innovation project from the Institute of Agricultural Economics and Development (IAED). This initiative seeks to deepen the understanding of technology-driven agricultural modernization in Africa, with Morocco as a key example, and to support the promotion of Chinese-style agricultural modernization as a leading force in agricultural development in developing countries.

The conference, organized by the Agadir Horticultural Complex (AHC), brought together scholars and representatives from agricultural enterprises hailing from the Netherlands, France, Israel, China, and local Moroccan participants. This gathering provided an excellent platform to review the progress of ongoing projects and to unveil new research initiatives for the coming year. As the Chinese delegate, Hu Zhiquan presented a keynote report on Sino-Moroccan agricultural cooperation, offering insights into the CAAS, IAED, TPITARM, and exploring prospects for future collaboration with the AHC.

Following the conference, Hu Zhiquan engaged in a comprehensive visit to the AHC, where he conducted field research on local facility agriculture and agricultural infrastructure. He also held fruitful discussions with local farmers and agricultural management personnel to gain a deeper understanding of the practical aspects of agricultural modernization.

The delegation received a warm welcome from the AHC organizers, farmers, agricultural enterprises, and agricultural departments. Extensive discussions were held with the dean of the AHC regarding potential future cooperation between the IAED and AHC, encompassing areas such as doctoral student recruitment, personnel exchange, and joint project collaboration.