CHANGDE, China, Sept. 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The first Chengtoushan World Rice-Farming Civilization Forum was held in Lixian, a district country under Changde municipality from September 21-23, 2017. The forum was hosted by the Changde municipal government, the China National Hybrid Rice R&D Center / Hunan Hybrid Rice Research Center, and the Caijing Magazine, and organized by the Lixian government. The forum was chaired by Professor Yuan Longping, the "Father of Hybrid Rice".
Chengtoushan is the site of the earliest city in China according to archaeology studies, the unearthing of Chengtoushan ruins provided evidence of Chinese civilization to 6,500 years, 1,000 years earlier than the previously recognized record. The world earliest farming and irrigation system ruins were also unveiled in the Chengtoushan site.
The forum attracted the attention of leading archaeology scholars from China and overseas. It also invited guest speakers including Ms. Caroline Legros, the Deputy Director of the World Food Programmer's (WFP) China office to speak at the opening ceremony, Professor Luo Xiwen, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, and Professor Zhao Hui, former Dean of the School of Archaeology and Museology.
The forum featured the Origination and Development of the World Rice-Farming Civilization, leading scholars and functional experts from Agriculture, Farming, and Heritage Protection, it also discussed the potential of the World Heritage of the Liyang Plain.
Food Security and Food Safety
"Food Security and Food safety have been two important subjects in the forum, Yuan Longping's hybrid rice farming scheme shows the potential for harvests of 15 tons per hectare. It provides inspiration for countries still struggling to achieve food security - it resulted in a significant contribution to global food security" said Caroline Legros in her keynote speech to the forum.
The World Culture Tourism Destination
Lixian has a history dating back to 6,500 years and it has 14 national heritage sites. Chengtoushan represents the early civilization of the Yangtze river area, and was demonstrated in the Chinese pavilion of the World Expo.
The Chengtoushan Consensus - an advocacy of heritage protection
As an outcome of the forum, scholars and experts signed "The Chengtoushan Consensus", which fully agreed on the unique value of Chengtoushan site, especially the rice fields in the Tangjiagang period, as the origin of rice culture. The Consensus also suggested to protect and utilize the site with archaeological research and kick off the initiative of applying World Culture Heritage for Lixian sites.
