Prof. Jean F. Tourrand, Director of International Agricultural Research Project of La recherche agronomique pour le développement (CIRAD), visited Lanzhou University and pastoral areas of Qilian Mountain from March 25th to April 10th, 2014 at the invitation of Prof. Long Ruijun, Director of the International Center for Tibetan Ecosystem Management(ICTPEM).
This visit was funded by the programme Cai Yuanpei 2013. With a comparative study of grassland, ecology and animal husbandry in Qilian Mountains and the Alps, the programme aims at providing management strategies and policy recommendations for the sustainable development of livestock industry in alpine regions of China.
Prof. Tourrand’s team and Prof. Long’s team made a field trip to Huangcheng Town in Sunan Yugur Autonomous County and Anyuan Town in Tenzhu Tibetan Autonomous County. The two sides discussed research findings, major problems in the development of animal husbandry in alpine postal areas and future research directions. They agreed to cooperate in livestock production long-term monitoring, grassland production capacity remote sense monitoring and food safety, etc. Gaelle and Doryane, two postgraduates of Prof. Tourrand, will stay in Lanzhou for another three to six months after the investigation to continue the research. Prof. Tourrand is scheduled to visit LZU again in September and jointly carry out scientific research activities.
News Background:
CIRAD is a French research centre working with developing countries to tackle international agricultural and development issues. It is a public industrial and commercial enterprise (EPIC) under the joint authority of the Ministry of Higher Education and Research and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. CIRAD's activities involve the life sciences, social sciences and engineering sciences, applied to agriculture, food and rural territories. It has established 12 worldwide work offices and set up a partnership with over 90 countries. Prof. Tourrand has acquired a master degree in Veterinary Medicine and a PHD degree in animal science and has instructed over 50 postgraduate students, published more than 150 papers and complied over 10 works. In the past 30 years, Prof. Tourrand, as a world-known scholar, had worked in many areas including Africa, South America, USA and France.
(Translated by Yu Yin, Proofread by Lawrence Xu)
