The “Ph. D Village Chief” International Tour of the College of Agriculture to Create a New Mode of International Cooperation

In order to efficiently implement the “Ph. D Village Chief” plan of Guizhou University, actively promote the “Belt and Road” international cooperation, strive to achieve international agricultural communication, and create a new platform for international cooperation, under the care and guidance of the Graduate Work Department, Graduate School, Teachers’ Office, International Exchange and Cooperation Department and College of Agriculture of Guizhou University, the “Ph. D Village Chief” international volunteer tour activity jointly initiated by the graduate students in plant pathology discipline and foreign postdoctoral students of Guizhou University was officially launched in January 2024. The purpose of this activity is to share the experience gained by the discipline in helping to fight poverty and rural revitalization of Guizhou with the agricultural personnel from countries along the Belt and Road.

Postdoctoral fellows such as Khadija Javed, Hafiz Muhammad Usman, Entaj Tarafder and Maqsood Ahmed have carried out academic seminars, research by scientific research units, and field guidance activities in parts of Pakistan and India, which were warmly welcomed by agricultural personnel from countries along the “Belt and Road”.

Dr. Khadija Javed held a seminar at PMAS-Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi, Pakistan. This seminar introduced the principles and practices of agricultural pest management, discussed in depth the concept of comprehensive pest management and its significance in modern agriculture, and focused on pest management techniques in agricultural production. Through interactive sessions and discussions, participants gained hands-on knowledge and basic skills to address agricultural pest and disease challenges.

Dr. Hafiz Muhammad Usman actively visited the agricultural sector, farms and some villages in Punjab Province of Pakistan to learn about the climate, crop types and crop pests in the region. Through research, he found that two provinces (Guizhou and Punjab) have a certain degree of similarity in climate, crops and pests and diseases, and proposed to carry out joint or cooperative plans to achieve data sharing. With the help of Dr. Hafiz Muhammad Usman, Punjab completed an integrated pest and disease management plan.

Dr. Entaj Tarafder actively carried out field practice guidance on the diagnosis and control of diseases and pests of eggplant, cabbage and other crops in Kolkata, India. Dr. Maqsood Ahmed conducted green prevention and control techniques for local crops such as wheat and rape in Sindh, Pakistan.

The purpose of the international tour practice activity of “Ph. D Village Chief” is to let the graduate students give full play to the discipline advantage, talent advantage and platform advantage of the world-class discipline of plant protection of Guizhou University, popularize and apply the scientific research achievements in Pakistan and India, and expand the discipline influence. The transformation of the talent chain and knowledge chain explored by Guizhou University in the process of scientific and technological poverty alleviation into a poverty alleviation industrial chain poverty alleviation model is of great reference significance to the underdeveloped agricultural regions of Pakistan and India. The relevant research teams in Pakistan and India hope to carry out further cooperation with relevant disciplines of the College of Agriculture, Guizhou University, so as to strengthen agricultural professional and technical exchanges and promote the green and sustainable development of agriculture in the region.