1. Outline of the ProjectCountry name: People’s Republic of China

Project

name:

The

Sustainable

Agricultural Technology Research andDevelopment Project
Fields: Agriculture

Asisstance type: Technical cooperation
project

Supervising office: First Group, Rural

Monetary amount of cooperation (at time

Development Departmentof evaluation): Approx. 800 million yen

PeriodCounterpart organizations: Ministry ofof

R/D: February 6, 2002, tocooperation

February 5, 2007 (5Agriculture,

Chineseyears)

Agricultural

Sciences,

AcademyofJapan-China

F/U:

Research and Development Center for

E/N:

Agriculture Technology
CooperatingorganizationinJapan:

Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, andFisheries
Other associated cooperation: Grant aid
cooperation
1-1 Background and outline of the Project
The population of the People’s Republic of China (hereinafter “China”) is expected toreach 1.6 billion by 2030.

Meanwhile, approximately 300,000 ha of agricultural land

are being lost each year to desertification and other problems.

Thus, the Chinese

government is being pressed to tackle the issue of food security in response to predicted
population increases in the future.

Given these circumstances, “development ofsustainable agricultural technologies” for the purposes of increasing the production andearnings of agricultural products and of improving the quality of these products—to beachieved through improvements in land productivity, land-use efficiency, laborproductivity, and technical contribution—so as to maintain stable food supplies in
China is becoming an urgent task.
The Chinese government decided to established the “Japan-China Research andDevelopment Center for Agriculture Technology” (hereinafter “the Center”) to serve as a
research institute for conversion of basic agricultural test results into forms that can beused by farmers as well as the application of these results.

The Chinese government

also submitted requests to the Japanese government for grant aid to establish themachinery and equipment needed to develop practical technologies and for technicalcooperation in the development of practical technologies using the Center.
In response, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (hereinafter “JICA”)
dispatched a contact study team (June 1999), a first short-term study team (September1999), a second short-term study team (May 2000), and a third short-term study team
(July 2001) to confirm detailed cooperation content of this plan and the implementation
structure, etc., of the Chinese side.

These activities resulted in the signing andexchange of a Record of Discussions (R/D) in December 2001, and the commencement ofproject-type technical cooperation (currently a technical cooperation project) entitledthe “Sustainable Agricultural Technology Research and Development Project” fromFebruary 6, 2002, to February 5, 2007.
1-2 Description of cooperation(1) Overall Goal
Sustainable production of wheat, soybeans for food and oil, rice, etc., in response todomestic demand as well as practical technologies to raise farmers’ income aredeveloped.
(2) Project Purpose
Model methods for developing practical technologies for sustainable production ofwheat, soybeans for food and oil, rice, etc., are established.
(3) Outputs of the project0) The operational structure of the Center is established.
1) Circumstances surrounding onsite production needs, consumption and actual
demand needs, etc., are ascertained.
2) Breeding methods for sustainable production of wheat, soybeans for food and oil,
rice, etc., are developed.
3) Environment-friendly cultivation management technologies are developed
through efficient use of natural resources.
4) An agricultural technology information system for gathering, accumulating,sharing, and utilizing onsite information on sustainable production is developed.
5) Linkage among the various relevant fields (breeding methods, soil fertilizer, pests,
information, etc.) is reinforced.
(4) Inputs (at time of evaluation)

Japanese side
Dispatch of long-term experts:

Total of 10 experts

Dispatch of short-term experts:

35 experts

Training of C/Ps in Japan:

36 C/Ps

Provision of machinery and equipment:

Approx. 180 million yen

Assumption of local costs:

Approx. 70 million yen

Chinese side
Allocation of C/Ps:

84 C/Ps

Provision of land and facilities
Assumption of local costs:

Approx. 12 million yuan

2. Outline of the Evaluation Team
Members(Field, name, occupational position)
Team leader:

Shigenari Koga

Managing

Director,

Rural

Development Department, JICA
Research cooperation:

Tatsuya Mochizuki

Research

Manager,National

Institute of Vegetable and Tea
Science, National Agriculture andFood Research Organization
Planning evaluation:

Taro Izumi

Paddy Fields
Area Team

Based

Farming

Ⅲ, First Group, Rural

Development Department, JICA
Evaluation and analysis:

Jun Totsukawa

Senior researcher, Sano PlanningCo., Ltd.

Evaluation

July 11, 2006, to July 27, 2006

Evaluation type: Final evaluation

period3. Outline of Evaluation Results
3-1 Confirmation of achievements
The first indicator for the Project Purpose (i.e., “model methods for developing practicaltechnologies for sustainable production of wheat, soybeans for food and oil, rice, etc., areestablished”) is “comprehensive research will be implemented through linkage among
all fields of the Center in at least one verification field by January 2007.”

In order toachieve this indicator, the Project established four comprehensive research bases inChangping(Beijing),

Yinchuan(Ningzia

Hui

Autonomous

Region),Harbin(Heilongjiang Province), and Shouyang (Shanxi Province), where a total of 17 issues
have been studied in comprehensive research covering two or more fields.
this indicator is considered to have been achieved already.

Accordingly,

For the second indicator,

which is “the abovementioned research framework will be approved as an operationalmodel of the Center by the Joint Coordination Committee by January 2007,” thisindicator is considered to have been satisfied, as the research framework, including
budgetary aspects, was approved by the Joint Coordination Committee in September
2004.
Six Outputs were established for the Project: 0) the operational structure of the Centeris established; 1) circumstances surrounding onsite production needs, consumption andactual demand needs, etc., are ascertained; 3) breeding methods for sustainableproduction of wheat, soybeans for food and oil, rice, etc., are developed; 4)environment-friendly cultivation management technologies are developed throughefficient use of natural resources; 5) an agricultural technology information system forgathering, accumulating, sharing, and utilizing onsite information on sustainableproduction is developed; and 6) linkage among the various relevant fields (breeding
methods, soil fertilizer, pests, information, etc.) is reinforced. All of these Outputs
have been achieved or are expected to be achieved with the exception of Output 4 (i.e.,“environment-friendly cultivation management technologies are developed throughefficient use of natural resources”).

On the other hand, regarding Output 4(“environment-friendly cultivation management technologies are developed throughefficient use of natural resources”), some of the comprehensive research bases had poor
communications conditions, and establishment of an observation system using field
servers is finally getting started.

Accordingly, continuous efforts toward gathering andprocessing data and then utilizing these data will be required going forward.
3-2 Outline of evaluation results(1) Relevance
The Chinese government has made securing food supplies for 1.6 billion people in the
21st century and pursuing agricultural production that is friendly to the natural ecology
and environment priority agricultural policies.

An important pillar of these policies is“research and development of practical technologies that can be accepted by farmers.”
At the same time, while China has been engaged in a broad range of agriculturalresearch, it is said to lack systems for applying practical technologies.

Given theabove, the Project can be described as being in line with these policies and realities inChina.

Moreover, Japan’s ODA Charter and “medium-term ODA policies” mention“poverty reduction” as a priority aid field, and here emphasis is placed on cooperation in
the agricultural sector.

And JICA’s country program for China lists “support forovercoming poverty” as a priority field in its aid to China, and this field contains suchitems as “improved farmer income.” Although China has reached a high level in termsof basic research in the agricultural sector, it has fallen behind in converting thisresearch into useable practical technologies for farmers and then applying the results,
as well as in comprehensive research that links various fields.

Thus, the fact thatJapan—which possesses experience and achievements in these fields—is providing
cooperation in this area is highly significant.

Moreover, because Japan has

accumulated experience and know-how over long years in breeding methodology, soil
and fertilizers, and pest management and information, all of which are technical fields
addressed by the Project, the Project was an undertaking having potential for highefficiency.
(2) EffectivenessAs of the present time, the Project’s operational framework and inputs from both Japanand China are proceeding favorably for the most part, and the desired outputs are being
realized. Moreover, no external conditions that affect Project progress have appeared,
and thus the Project Purpose is being achieved.
Although six Outputs were established for the Project, the flow from fundamental
aspects (establishment of an operational framework and ascertainment of needs) totechnical development in each field and linkage of fields (comprehensive research) was
clear.

As a result, achievement of these Outputs was considered to be tied toestablishment of model methods, which is the Project Purpose.
(3) Efficiency
Looking at the inputs from Japan, the dispatch of long-term and short-term experts,
acceptance of C/P trainees, provision of machinery and equipment, assumption of local
costs (including contributions to an association fund for comprehensive research), andother inputs are being implemented accordingly to plan and efficiently.

However,

because there were delays in the manifestation of outputs in the information field, someinefficiency with regard to dispatch of the short-term experts was recognized.

As forinputs from China, the C/Ps were allocated in accordance with what was agreed upon in
the R/D, and China is working to provide the basic expenses it must assume and tosupply the facilities, etc., necessary for Project implementation.

Based on the above,

the team has determined that inputs from both Japan and China were appropriate interms of scale and quality, although there was some inefficiency in terms of timing.
(4) Impact
1) Expectation for achievement of the Overall Goal
Looking at the indicator for the Overall Goal that states “for all research under
the jurisdiction of the Center up to January 2011, the conversion rate of practicaltechnologies that are useful in improving sustainable productivity and farmers’
incomes will reach 60%,” insufficient time has passed at the present time to makean evaluation of the conversion rate for practical technology.

However, because

practical technologies that are useful in improving farmers’ incomes are being
developed for wheat, soybeans, and maize, the team finds that the practicaltechnology conversion rate as expressed in numerical form will increase toward
the target value of 60%.
2) Financial aspects
a. Connection with the central government and agricultural policy
The Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture (theCenter) has been designated an important open laboratory by the Ministry ofAgriculture.

This designation has raised the name recognition of thelaboratory and the Center, and has made it possible for them to receive
considerable financial assistance from the government.

Moreover, a seminaron technical countermeasures was held to report cold damage that occurred inthewheat-producing

district

of

Henan

Province

andtoproposecountermeasures. The results of the seminar were compiled into a report for
the Ministry of Agriculture, which in turn led to the ministry’s designation of
the “Agricultural Damage Alleviation and Ecological Agriculture Laboratory”
of the Center as the domestic office for agricultural information and disaster
information experts in the abovementioned countermeasures.
b. Connection with local governments and agricultural policy
In Henan Province, the Project’s introduction of countermeasures against
low-temperature wheat damage led the provincial government to increase
budgetary funding for these countermeasures and to work to extend thetechnologies within the province.

Moreover, when the Project brought a

wheat-tasting evaluation system into the province, the provincial government
moved to secure funding to purchase the machinery, equipment, and materials
needed for this system.

In this way, examples are emerging in which

technologies introduced from the Center are having a significant impact on
agricultural policy and budgetary allocation for agricultural development.
3) Economic and rural social aspects
No-tillage cultivation of wheat matched to regional characteristics wasintroduced into 250,000 Mu in Luoyang．Although detailed data from farming
household budgets are unavailable, it is thought, based on theoretical figures,that this technique produced an approximately 900 yuan per ha increase inprofit.

Furthermore, because diffusion of high-quality wheat that was developed

through the project has begun, an increase in sales price of between 0.3 and 0.4
yuan/kg is expected.

Meanwhile, efforts to extend developed technologies werealso confirmed in Yinchuan.

Among them is the introduction of technologies

that were developed through the Project in the “training plan for one million
farming households.”
4) Organizational aspects
The framework for research exchange between the central government’s Chinese
Academy of Agricultural Sciences and regional agricultural science institutes wasstrengthened through research at the comprehensive research bases. Moreover,
the relationship between the National Food Institute and Chinese Academy ofAgricultural Sciences, which had involved little exchange heretofore, wasreinforced to the point that the two organizations now hold seminars and daily
opinion exchanges.

And the relationship among educational institutions, suchas the China Agricultural University and Capital Normal University, has also
been enhanced.

This relationship is leading to the establishment of acomprehensive activity framework.
(5) Sustainability
1) Future policy pertaining to sustainable agricultural technologies
China’s 11th Five-Year Plan sets specific policies for the agricultural sector andproposes implementation of a national promotion strategy that is based on
science and education and a “strategy for a strong nation” that is based on humanresources; these strategies are to be achieved through reinforced capacities toinitiate creation and innovation.

These policies and strategies are in line withthe direction being taken by the Project, and thus there are no problems with the
Project’s sustainability in terms of policy aspects.
2) Organizational perspectives
The five laboratories of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences that are
participating in the Center have already been positioned as non-profit scientificand research institutes based on national regulations, and they have successfully
attained results in terms of staff allocation, acquirement of operating expenses,
and establishment of an operational platform. These changes have contributed
to the sustainability of the Japan-China Project and are expected to contributesignificantly to sustainability in the future.
3) Financial perspectives
Since 2004, an “association fund” of approximately one million yuan
(approximately 14.6 million yen) has been established to set up and operate thefour comprehensive research and testing bases.

This fund has been supported

by both Japan and China based on set shares. It should be noted that China hascontinued to make contributions to the fund that are in excess of its set share,and it is expected to contribute some 970,000 yuan (approximately 14 million
yen) in FY2006.

The Chinese side also obtained approximately 4 million yuan

(approximately 58 million yen) in 2005 and some 5 million yen (approximately 5
73 million yen) in 2006 for specific expenses from the Ministry of Finance; thesefunds were invested into Center operation as well as Project operation.
Furthermore, the Chinese side continues to provide approximately 4 million yuan
(approximately 58 million yen) to the Project as research expenses each year.
And the salaries of Chinese C/Ps connected with the Japan-China Project are
guaranteed in the management expenditure of the laboratories to which the C/Ps
are affiliated.

Thus, there are no significant sustainability problems in terms offinancial aspects.
4) Personnel perspectives
Competition among researchers in China is growing fiercer, and therefore it has
become relatively easy to secure excellent human resources.

Moreover, highly

qualified research personnel can also be obtained from provincial agriculturalscience institutes in Heilongjiang Province, Shanxi Province, Ningzia HuiAutonomous Region, etc.

On the other hand, although some fluidity of

personnel is recognized, it has not reached serious proportions.

Therefore, there

are no problems with the Project’s sustainability in terms of securing personnel.
5) Technical perspectives
The research capacity of researchers in China is improving markedly, and thus
there are virtually no research field-related problems in Project sustainability.
In particular, the fact that China has placed priority on expanded food productionmeans that there are almost no problems in technical fields related to increased
production.
On the other hand, technical fields related to agricultural environments havereceived comparatively low priority thus far, and full-scale movements in thisarea have only started in recent years.

Therefore, this is an area that will

require further technical support.
6) Management framework for provided machinery and equipment
In order to improve the usage rate of machinery, equipment, and facilities thatwere provided through grant aid, an open laboratory was established (2002),“regulations for use and management of public laboratory equipment” and a“manual on safety management in use of machinery, equipment, and facilities inpublic laboratories” were prepared, and a management ledger for equipment
operations was prepared.

Moreover, three equipment and facilities operators

were selected from those of all agricultural science institutes to undergo training
for installation as supervisors for large-scale equipment. Plans call for priority
in use of the equipment and facilities of the Center to be given first to personnel
in the Project.

Then, the equipment and facilities will be gradually madeavailable to external personnel, with the open laboratory of the Center eventually
becoming a nationally recognized analytical center.
3-3 Factors contributing to emergence of effects(1) Factors pertaining to planning content
An association fund for comprehensive research was created by the Project in FY2004.
The creation of this fund led to the establishment of four comprehensive research basesin China, accelerated scheduled Project activities for these bases, and promoted
technical transfer to Chinese C/Ps.

(2) Factors pertaining to the implementation process
1) Enhancement of operational expenses
Due to the Project’s active communication of activity and research outputs
through the holding of an output presentation meeting, issuance of research
reports, etc., Project outputs have received recognition.

Among otherdevelopments, this is evidenced by the fact that the Center received government
designation as an important open laboratory.

As a result, the Center’s budget

has been greatly expanded, as is seen by its securing funds for specific expenses(approximately 5 million yuan/year = approximately 73 million yen). This kindof policy and financial support has enhanced not only the Project’s researchexpenditure but also its operational expenditure, which includes management ofmachinery and equipment, and therefore it is thought to have contributed greatly
to the manifestation of Project outputs.
2) Establishment of a Coordinative Executing office
The Center is comprised of five laboratories of the Chinese Academy ofAgricultural Sciences.

Given that coordination of the activities of theselaboratories and the Center is extremely important, a general coordination office
was established within the Center in 2004 to handle coordination duties.

The

establishment of this office unified coordination duties, which made a significant
contribution to the smooth implementation of activities and, by extension, toProject outputs.
3-4 Problem areas and factors leading to problems(1) Factors pertaining to plan content
Inconsistencies appeared in the cause-and-effect relationship between the PDM targets
and outputs and some of the indicators.

Also, although development of an“agricultural technology information system” was established as an Output, noconsensus among Project personnel on the form this system should take could be
gained, and therefore pre-activity confirmation of the communications situation could
not be sufficiently confirmed.

Moreover, even after these problems were brought tolight, no revisions or reviews of the PDM were made, which resulted in a delay andactivities in the information field.
(2) Factors pertaining to the implementation process

Researchers in agricultural science institutes are in a results-oriented environment,
and therefore they are required to produce even more research outputs and to obtain agreater amount of project funding.

As a result, researchers often simultaneously

pursue many research topics that are outside the scope of Project activities.

This has

led to cases in which, despite wishing to concentrate in Project activities, C/Ps that are
researchers cannot find enough time to do so.
Meanwhile, although the establishment of the general coordination office greatly
improved Center activities, instances of inefficiency have occurred due to continuing
distortion in the supervising system among the laboratories.

It has been pointed outthat this point must be improved if Center activities are to be further advanced.
These issues were not so serious that they negatively impacted on achievement of the
Outputs and Project Purpose.

However, it is thought that if improvements had been

made in these areas, even further outputs could have been expected.
3-5 Conclusion
The Project was implemented for the purpose of establishing model methods fordeveloping practical technologies for sustainable production of wheat, soybeans for foodand oil, rice, etc.

In the development of practical technologies, approaches involving

linkage among multiple fields necessary to resolve problems and research that ismatched to onsite conditions―all of which based on sufficient understanding of onsite
needs―are required. Thus, through the Project, five laboratories under the Chinese
Academy of Agricultural Sciences worked to strengthen collaboration and to build an
operational framework to facilitate research on the development of practicaltechnologies using an association fund built with contributions from both Japan and
China.

Moreover, the Project established comprehensive research bases in four

regions, reinforced collaboration with regional agricultural science institutes and otherbodies, and developed many technologies needed for sustainable production ofimportant crops in these regions.
The results of these activities have established a framework for management andoperation of an open laboratory that is founded on equipment and materials provided
through grant-aid cooperation, and can serve as a foundation for comprehensive
approaches toward development of practical technologies by China in the future.

Based on the above, the Project is deemed capable of achieving its desired goals, andtherefore it will be concluded according to plan on February 5, 2007.
3-6 Recommendations(1) Activities during the Project Period
Thus far, steady results have been achieved in the Project fields of breeding, pests, andagricultural environments (fertilizers, water saving, and water quality).

Activities inthese fields should be continued according to schedule during the remainder of the
Project Period.
In the information field, where progress has been slow, it will first be necessary tocomplete the work of building the system using field servers.

Then, a post-Project

activities plan for utilization of gathered data should be drawn up, and manuals andother materials that make us of gathered data should be prepared.
(2) Activities that should be undertaken by the Chinese side after the end of the Project1) Continuation of activities in the information field
The Chinese side should continue implementing activities, and evaluating these
activities, based on the activities plan prepared during the Project Period.
2) Linkage of fields and sustainability of the comprehensive research framework
The Chinese side should maintain the inter-field linkage and comprehensive
research framework that were established during the Project and take further
steps in research and development toward practical application.

It should alsoestablish a structure for ascertaining everyday onsite production andconsumption needs that will contribute to comprehensive research.
3) Reinforced extension of developed technologies to farmers
It has been confirmed that some technologies developed through the Project are
being extended to farmers.

In the future, the Chinese side should engage infurther research and development that keeps extension in mind as well as
development of low-input technologies that places more consideration to
impoverished farmers.
4) Emphasis on agricultural environments field
Desertification and other concerns that are represented by “yellow sand” areserious problems that have an impact even on Japan.

Moreover, overuse ofchemical fertilizers, inappropriate use of agrochemicals, and long-term

continuous cropping due to overzealous efforts to expand harvests have worsened
agricultural environments by, among other problems, contaminating farmlands
and irrigation water.

Pollution of rivers, lakes, and marshlands, releases ofgreenhouse gases, alkalization of farmlands, lower food safety, and otherproblems are worsening, and long-term continuous cropping and lack of water
resources are leading to deteriorating soil fertility.

Because all of these

problems will have an impact on achievement of the Project’s Overall Goal, it will
be necessary to pursue research in this field that is hand-in-hand with efforts
toward achievement of the Overall Goal.
By engaging in the activities described above, the Center can be expected to continue
collaborating with research institutes and other bodies both in China and abroad, andto serve as a core research organization for sustainable agricultural technology.
3-7 Lessons learned(1) Establishment of a coordinating organization
When a project resembles this Project in that it involves a broad range of organizations,the role of the organization that manages the project as a whole is important.

In thisProject, the establishment of the general coordination office facilitated Project
implementation.
(2) Clarification of activity fields and indicators in the PDM
Even though development of an “agricultural technology information system” wasestablished as an Output for the Project from its beginning, no consensus among Project
personnel on the form this system should take was gained.

Although a review of thispoint was conducted in the mid-term evaluation and the content of activities wasclarified, the outputs of information-field activities were insufficient in the end due tothe late start.
(3) PDM revision
Inconsistencies appeared in the cause-and-effect relationship between the Project’s
PDM targets and outputs and some of the indicators.

Moreover, of the activities thatwere revised at the time of the mid-term evaluation, there were delays in those thatpertained to agricultural information, in part due to fact that the communications
situation had not been adequately confirmed beforehand.

Thus, the PDM should havebeen revised and reviewed with regard to these points in accordance with the requiredprocedures at necessary times.
3-8 Follow-up situation
No comments in particular.