To strengthen the Chinese seed industry, we must first support the enterprise to strengthen its muscles and bones
Our reporter Ma Aiping
Seed Industry Innovation Series Report ④
It is necessary to highlight the dominant position of enterprises in technological innovation, support enterprises to establish large-scale commercialized R&D platforms and innovation consortia, promote the gathering of resources, talents, and capital to enterprises, support the development of advantageous enterprises, and promote the improvement of the full range of product research and development, product development, and industrial application. The modernization level of the chain realizes the continuous output of good varieties and good seeds.
Wan Jianmin, Academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering, Vice President of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences
To secure the world, plant the cornerstone.
To make a good turnaround in the seed industry, the enterprise is an important part.
On March 20th, at the 2021 China Seed Conference, experts pointed out that seed industry enterprises should be strengthened, become the main body of innovation, and promote industry-university-research collaboration.
The meeting emphasized that the current and future development of the seed industry should focus on studying and grasping the five relationships, one of which is the relationship between innovation and protection.
It is necessary to increase support for seed industry innovation, give full play to the enthusiasm of market players and scientific research institutions, and at the same time do a good job in the protection of germplasm resources and intellectual property rights.
"Accelerating the technological innovation and high-quality development of the seed industry is the top priority of agricultural modernization and must be paid close attention to. Commercial breeding with enterprises as the main body is the right direction, but it will not be realized for a long time. At present, crop breeding scientific research talents Basically concentrated in agricultural scientific research units and universities, the most realistic and effective option is to strengthen cooperation between science and technology enterprises, scientists create value, and entrepreneurs amplify value." Li Chenggui, dean of the Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, said in an interview with a reporter from the Science and Technology Daily.
Cultivating and developing innovative agricultural enterprises is a top priority
“From the perspective of the development trend of agricultural science and technology powers in developed countries, all agricultural science and technology powers are seed industry science and technology powers. Without first-class seed industry, there will be no agricultural science and technology modernization.” Gao Wangsheng, professor of China Agricultural University and dean of the National Academy of Agricultural Science and Technology Strategy Tell a reporter from Science and Technology Daily.
Gao Wangsheng analyzed that, on the whole, there are four basic characteristics of a strong international biological seed industry: a strong cluster of giant seed industry enterprises, strong investment in the seed industry and sufficient R&D expenses, formation of large-scale, high-throughput, pipeline, and high efficiency Seed industry innovative research and development model and perfect seed industry laws and regulations system.
The monopoly of multinational seed industry is the development trend of seed industry in the world today.
"In China, only a very small number of companies have entered the forefront of the international seed industry, which is not commensurate with China’s status as a major agricultural country. There are nearly 7,000 seed companies in China, but their research and development capabilities are relatively weak, and independent research and development enthusiasm is not high. Contending with international enterprises is one of the biggest shortcomings of agricultural science and technology innovation in China." Gao Wangsheng pointed out that compared with industrial enterprises, agricultural enterprises have special characteristics such as long investment cycles, high natural risks, and high market volatility, and cultivate and develop agricultural innovation. Enterprises are already a top priority.
Support enterprises to establish large-scale commercial R&D platforms
The development and cultivation of new varieties in the seed industry takes a long time and requires huge investment. However, there are few large-scale enterprises in the seed industry in my country, and R&D and capital investment are limited.
How to give full play to the dominant position and role of seed companies in independent innovation and increase their research and development enthusiasm?
Wan Jianmin, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and vice president of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, suggested that enterprises should highlight their position as the mainstay of technological innovation, support enterprises to establish large-scale commercial R&D platforms and innovation consortiums, promote the gathering of resources, talents, and capital to enterprises, and support advantageous enterprises Development, promote and improve the modernization level of the whole chain of variety research and development, product development, and industrial application, and realize the continuous output of good varieties and good seeds.
In this regard, Gao Wangsheng suggested: First, increase special policy support for agricultural enterprises’ scientific and technological innovation, and expand the right to participate in the planning and organization of major scientific and technological projects of agricultural enterprises; second, add deduction policies for enterprise scientific and technological investment, enterprise scientific and technological facilities and lease of farmland Preferential policies have been given to forestry and other areas to increase financial support from banks for technological innovation of green agricultural enterprises; the third is to deepen the reform of policies and mechanisms such as talent flow, part-time and part-time salaries, equity dividends, and property rights pledges, and encourage enterprises to establish joint ventures with universities and scientific research institutions. Various types of new research and development institutions and innovation consortia.
"We are rooted in our own resource endowments to create an integrated industrial chain of breeding, reproduction, and service." Zhang Xiaojun, deputy general manager of Hainan Agricultural Reclamation Investment Holding Group Co., Ltd., introduced that the group relied on 200,000 acres of land in the Nanbin area of Sanya to establish Hainan Agricultural Reclamation Industry The Group, while providing "one-stop" southern propagation services for the majority of scientific research institutions, speeds up the construction of scientific research teams and project supporting facilities to create an integrated whole industry chain of seed breeding, propagation and promotion.
"We rely on rich scientific research resources, adhere to industry collaborative innovation, and win-win cooperation." Yuan Longping Agricultural High-tech Co., Ltd. President Ma Dehua revealed that the company "beads as a chain" to create a high-level industry technology integration platform, and has long been with superior scientific research institutes. It has carried out in-depth cooperation in planting resources, key technologies, identification of characteristics, and variety innovation, and has invested a total of 150 million yuan in the past three years.
Increasing government support for breeding innovation for large enterprises
In terms of livestock breeding, Li Chenggui believes that because livestock breeding requires quantitative genetic experiments for large populations, large companies have an advantage.
"Yukou poultry industry has successfully cultivated Jingfen and Jinghong series of laying hens by using foreign resources, and they are of international standards. This is a successful case. Wen's Group's innovative breakthrough in the breeding of new pig breeds also illustrates this truth. Therefore. It is necessary to increase the government’s support for breeding and innovation of large-scale animal husbandry enterprises from the perspective of national interests and the goal of turning a corner.” Li Chenggui said.
“Scientific research institutions and higher education institutions are still the main body of technological innovation in the seed industry. Although there are currently more than 5,000 seed enterprises in my country, there are still large numbers, small breeding scales, low-level redundant construction, and scattered technical forces and innovative capabilities. Weakness and other deficiencies have not yet formed an innovation chain of the entire industry chain such as germplasm resources, variety creation, seed breeding, and marketing.” Wan Jianmin said.
In this regard, Gao Wangsheng suggested that the new generation of national biological seed industry innovation system should be reorganized, the layout of the national biological seed industry national laboratory should be accelerated, and the national major scientific and technological projects of biological breeding should continue to be supported. Appropriate large-scale seed industry enterprises with international competitiveness to create a new generation of modern, intelligent, efficient, and independent national biological seed industry innovation system, and fight for the seed industry to turn around.