Despite remarkable economic growth in the past 30 years, China remains a developing nation. More than 135 million people live on less than $1 a day, with the majority of those living in rural areas. Emerging challenges include increased regional inequalities, more vulnerable populations, land and water scarcity, environmental degradation, and rising food safety concerns. China is also experiencing many demographic transitions, such as an aging population, gender imbalances, and dietary changes. Chinese policymakers are eager to find solutions to these challenges and are increasingly learning from other international development actors. Similarly, they are sharing their experiences with other developing countries as they design policies and strategies to address agricultural and rural development, food security, and poverty reduction.
To enhance these collaborations and meet government demand for policy-relevant knowledge, IFPRI launched its China Strategy Support Program in 1996. Subsequently, in 2003, IFPRI and the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences jointly established the International Center for Agricultural and Rural Development (ICARD). ICARD is the primary research base for IFPRI’s China Program, supporting evidence-based, pro-poor decisionmaking and the Program’s research and development objectives.