The Center for Agricultural Resources Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology of CAS, was known as Shijiazhuang Institute of Agricultural Modernization that was founded in 1978. As an independent entity, the center has 110 researchers. The faculties include one Academician of CAS, 15 professors and 48 associate professors. Among them, young professionals who are under the age of 45 are now the primary force in the research activities, and most of them own master or doctor degrees.

In addition, graduate education is one important aspect of innovation. Up to date, the Center has a total enrollment of more than 100 graduate students.

Since entering CAS Innovation Program in 2002, in order to meet the national demands and aim at international frontiers in the related areas, the Center, considering the particular agricultural needs of efficient utilization of water resources in North China Plain as well, has put stress on the following areas: plant physiology and ecology of drought tolerance, farmland water transfer and development of water saving technologies, agricultural water resource management and safety, molecular genetics and breeding for new cultivars with desired traits of water-saving, high quality and high yield.

The Center has built three field experimental stations along latitude 38oN in Hebei province, constituting a research base for studying agro-ecology and agricultural water resources in mountainous areas, plain areas in front of the mountains, and near shore plain areas. At present, we are carrying out 67 research projects supported by national departments, local governments, CAS and several international organizations. Among them, eleven projects are funded by national “863” and “973” programs, eight and twenty one are supported by other national findings and the Knowledge Innovation Program of CAS, respectively. There are six projects funded by Hebei province, five by international collaboration and ten from other sources.

With the great effort of all the employees in these years, the Center has 160 achievements, and 63 of them won prizes. In addition, we own 77 patents; have published more than 900 original research papers and 51 monographs. In the meantime, the Center has done a lot of work on application of technologies and achievements that has brought remarkable economic benefit to society.

The Hebei Society of Agricultural Engineering is affiliated to the Center. The Center is responsible for editing and publishing the Chinese Journal of Eco-Agriculture, which is one of the core journals in China.