Zhang Jiabao, a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE), chaired the launch of the CAE’s key consulting project titled “China's Black Soil Resource Protection and Regulatory System" in Nanjing on 20 August 2023.

More than 30 people, including CAE members and the project team members, attended the meeting.

The team reported the project background, research objectives, tasks, plan, budget and expected results. CAE members and experts fully acknowledged the research’s necessity and also suggested the team to focus on a quality standard system, technical support system, and policy guarantee system for the protection of black soil. The team was urged to make forward-looking and strategic policy recommendations as soon as possible.

Zhang said that the team would fully consider the opinions and suggestions of CAE members and experts, emphasizing the research issues, objectives and plans. Based on in-depth research and scientific analysis, the team will put forward solutions in protecting the food production capacity and the ecological environment of black soil.