AIRCAS Co-organizes Transboundary Plant Health Dialogue in Kazakhstan
18 Sep 2026
A delegation from the Aerospace Information Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (AIRCAS) joined representatives from China and Central Asia at the Transboundary Plant Health Dialogue 2026 in Almaty, Kazakhstan, on September 10, 2026. The delegation and other participants signed the Almaty Declaration, agreeing to strengthen cooperation in monitoring, early warning and coordinated management of transboundary pests and diseases.
Jointly organized by the Kazakh Research Institute of Plant Protection and Quarantine and AIRCAS, the dialogue brought together representatives from China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. A representative of the Chinese Consulate General in Almaty also attended.
ZHANG Bing, Deputy Director of AIRCAS and a CAS Member, noted that Central Asia and neighboring regions face shared challenges from the cross-border spread of pests and diseases. He stressed the importance of monitoring, early warning and international scientific cooperation in addressing locusts and other major pests and diseases. Greater information sharing and coordinated management are essential to safeguarding regional plant health, he said.
Zhang said AIRCAS is ready to contribute its expertise in Earth observation, Big Earth Data and artificial intelligence to joint research into how pest and disease outbreaks occur and how pests migrate and spread. The institute also seeks to develop regional risk assessment and early warning models, promote the sharing of monitoring data and support the training of early-career researchers.
Participants discussed phytosanitary risks, remote sensing monitoring and biological control. They also explored opportunities for joint projects, researcher exchanges and technology demonstrations to better align research outcomes with national plant protection needs.
The Almaty Declaration calls for combining ground monitoring with remote sensing and other technologies to support joint monitoring and early warning of transboundary pests. It also proposes exploring the establishment of a regional expert network and an information platform. Other priorities include strengthening cooperation in quarantine diagnostics, harmonizing technical standards and promoting mutual recognition of test results.
Building on the dialogue, AIRCAS will deepen practical cooperation with research institutions and plant protection authorities across the region and advance the application of aerospace information technologies. These efforts will support high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, regional food security and sustainable agricultural development.
Participants at the Transboundary Plant Health Dialogue 2026 in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
News Updates
AIRCAS Co-organizes Transboundary Plant Health Dialogue in Kazakhstan
A delegation from the Aerospace Information Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (AIRCAS) joined representatives from China and Central Asia at the Transboundary Plant Health Dialogue 2026 in Almaty, Kazakhstan, on September 10, 2026. The delegation and other participants signed the Almaty Declaration, agreeing to strengthen cooperation in monitoring, early warning and coordinated management of transboundary pests and diseases.
Jointly organized by the Kazakh Research Institute of Plant Protection and Quarantine and AIRCAS, the dialogue brought together representatives from China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. A representative of the Chinese Consulate General in Almaty also attended.
ZHANG Bing, Deputy Director of AIRCAS and a CAS Member, noted that Central Asia and neighboring regions face shared challenges from the cross-border spread of pests and diseases. He stressed the importance of monitoring, early warning and international scientific cooperation in addressing locusts and other major pests and diseases. Greater information sharing and coordinated management are essential to safeguarding regional plant health, he said.
Zhang said AIRCAS is ready to contribute its expertise in Earth observation, Big Earth Data and artificial intelligence to joint research into how pest and disease outbreaks occur and how pests migrate and spread. The institute also seeks to develop regional risk assessment and early warning models, promote the sharing of monitoring data and support the training of early-career researchers.
Participants discussed phytosanitary risks, remote sensing monitoring and biological control. They also explored opportunities for joint projects, researcher exchanges and technology demonstrations to better align research outcomes with national plant protection needs.
The Almaty Declaration calls for combining ground monitoring with remote sensing and other technologies to support joint monitoring and early warning of transboundary pests. It also proposes exploring the establishment of a regional expert network and an information platform. Other priorities include strengthening cooperation in quarantine diagnostics, harmonizing technical standards and promoting mutual recognition of test results.
Building on the dialogue, AIRCAS will deepen practical cooperation with research institutions and plant protection authorities across the region and advance the application of aerospace information technologies. These efforts will support high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, regional food security and sustainable agricultural development.
Participants at the Transboundary Plant Health Dialogue 2026 in Almaty, Kazakhstan.