Green Innovation at the Institute of Plant Nutrition, Resources, and Environment, Beijing

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Text and Photo: CM Cordeiro, EB Sindhøj © 2024

Nestled in the bustling city of Beijing is a beacon of agricultural innovation—the Institute of Plant Nutrition, Resources, and Environment, part of the prestigious Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences (BAAFS). During my recent visit, I discovered how this remarkable institution is shaping the future of sustainable agriculture, addressing challenges ranging from resource management to environmental conservation.

About the Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences

Founded in 1958, the Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences (BAAFS) has grown into a world-class research institution. With 1,230 employees, including 574 with senior professional titles and 558 with doctoral degrees, the academy is home to an impressive roster of talent. This includes one academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, five Beijing Scholars, and several nationally recognized young scholars. The academy encompasses 15 institutes and centers, covering agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, and fishery. Its disciplines of ”Plant and Animal Science,” ”Agricultural Science,” and ”Environment and Ecology” have been ranked among the top 1% globally by the Essential Science Indicators (ESI).

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Vertical farms and the complex relationships between energy use in food systems, food production and energy resource constraints

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From 2016, standing in a group discussion with Jack Ng, who is an engineer, and the Founder of Sky Greens Singapore. Sky Greens was founded in 2012.
Text & Photo © JE Nilsson & CM Cordeiro 2021

The current Horizon Europe Work Programme 2021-2022 for Food, Bioeconomy Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment [1] acknowledges a need to address the complex relationships between energy use in food systems, food system productivity and energy resource constraints. Product type, mode of transport, food waste, energy-related food system greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and energy efficiencies in geographies of production along with economies of scale are some of the interacting variables in the food-energy network [2,3]

In Sweden, about 26% of the greenhouse gases emitted come from agricultural activities [2]. Traditional farming practices and food production techniques concurrent with urbanization and globalization are energy intensive. With concurrent urbanization, globalization and changes in demography, the importance of energy use in food systems has become a global food security concern [3], particularly when some studies have shown that crop yields increase in close association with energy inputs [4].

The European regional concerns reminded me of a visit to Sky Greens in Singapore in 2016. I was in Singapore to attend the Responsible Business Forum conference held at Marina Bay Sands, and I had the opportunity too at the time, to visit the world´s first low carbon, hydraulic driven vertical vegetable farm and meet its Founder, Jack Ng.

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Ecology values in seaweed aquaculture: A visit to Ocean Rainforest, Færoe Islands 2019

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Air dried seaweed at Ocean Rainforest, Færoe Islands 2019. Ocean Rainforest produces high quality seaweed of various types. The seaweed are farmed in the pristine offshore waters of the Færoe Islands. Their products include Saccharina Latissima (sugarkelp/kombu/breiðbløðkutur sukurtari), Alaria Esculenta (winged seaweed/wakame), Laminaria Digitata (tangæe / oarweed/tarablað) and Palmaria Palmata (dulse/dilisk/søl).(Ocean Rainforest, 2010)
Text & Photo © JE Nilsson & CM Cordeiro 2019

Ecology values of seaweed aquaculture

The use of marine algae/seaweed in culinary presentations and gastronomy in Far Eastern countries such as China, Japan, South Korea and parts of Southeast-Asia is well known. In Scandinavia however, seaweed is mainly associated with humble origins, local coastal activities and historical narratives (Efstathiou & Myskja, 2018). In Norway, seaweed was regularly washed ashore during storms, making harvest of the seaweed accessible for use for animal feed and as soil fertiliser (Indergaard, 2010). During the 18th century in the Scandinavian coastal regions, seaweed was also gathered to produce potash and soda ash that were used for cleaning and to make glass. The alginate industry blossomed in the 1960s in Norway when seaweed was harvested manually from the coast for applications in the food industry as a thickening agent.

Moving on about fifty years to modernity, the past decade has witnessed a (re)discovery of seaweed as a natural resource and raw produce. Seaweed is increasingly studied and understood for its fundamental grounding in ecological values that are much needed in the management of today´s natural resources and marine environments. Seaweed is proving to be not only a valuable industry resource with potential applications as biofuel that can help mitigate carbon dioxide emissions in terms of substitution for fossil fuels (Milledge, Smith, Dyer, & Harvey, 2014), but it can also help with global adaptation to the effects of extreme weather condition in a warming hemisphere, for example, by damping wave energy and protecting shorelines, and by increasing oxygen supply in the waters that mitigate ocean acidification (Duarte, Wu, Xiao, Bruhn, & Krause-Jensen, 2017).

To that extent, the aquaculture of seaweed is the fastest-growing component of global food production (FAO, 2018). And while that is good news, considering the increasing market demand and applications of seaweed in various industries, seaweed aquaculture is currently constrained due to competition for suitable aquaculture areas. Other challenges that seaweed aquaculture faces are inadequate engineering systems capable of coping with rough offshore conditions, such as the type of weather we encountered for the day, on our way to visit Ocean Rainforest, as well as the lack of environmentally friendly automated harvesting and processing technologies.

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In search of China produced red wines: International wine pavilions, the 100th China Food & Drinks Fair (CFDF) spring fair 2019, Chengdu, China

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Headed for the international trading pavilions for wine, at the 100th China Food & Drinks Fair (CFDF) spring fair 2019, Chengdu, China.
Text & Photo © CM Cordeiro 2019

One of the oldest and largest international food fair, the China Food and Drinks Fair (CFDF) saw its 100th anniversary this year held in Chengdu, China. The exhibition was held in two parts. The first event, the Táo IWSS (International Wine & Spirits Show) took place from 17 to 20 March 2019. This event had decentralized locations, held at the hotels Shangri-La and Kempinski in Chengdu. In 2018, this 4 day trade-only show exclusive for wine, spirits and beers sector had 15 pavilions showcasing both renowned and emerging international wine-producing countries and regions that included China. 32 innovation events with industry keynote speakers were held with specific themes. A total of 80 000 traders gathered in this 4 day event in 2018, with the Shangri-La hotel in Chengdu housing more than 600 exhibitors and the Kempinski hotel housing more than 500 exhibitors. The second event, the 100th CFDF took place from 21 to 23 March 2019 at the Chengdu Western China International Expo City.

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Food packaging and technology: The 100th China Food & Drinks Fair (CFDF) spring fair 2019, Chengdu, China

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At the food and food technology halls 1-3 at the 100th China Food & Drinks Fair (CFDF) spring fair 2019, Chengdu, China.
Text & Photo © M Svorken, CM Cordeiro 2019

With a population that is 18.41% of total world population, China ranks top of the list of countries and dependencies by population [1]. Standing on the exhibition grounds, in the midst of the CFDF 100th spring fair in Chengdu, you certainly feel as stardust, that make part of the constellation of individuals moving through just this one fair. The vast spaces and large numbers of individuals walking by, easily masks one of the country’s upcoming significant challenges, which is a decline in birth rate and an increase in life expectancy [2]. As such, the upcoming domestic issues for the country is one that needs multiple levels and time-frames of strategic policy planning that includes food, agriculture and technology.

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Intelligent packaging at the Táo IWSS (International Wine & Spirits Show), 17-20 March, Shangri-La Hotel, Chengdu, China 2019

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At the Táo IWSS (International Wine & Spirits Show), 17-20 March, Shangri-La, Chengdu, China 2019
Text & Photo © CM Cordeiro 2019

The 2019 Táo IWSS (International Wine & Spirits Show) took place from 17-20 March in Chengdu, China. It was a 4-day trade-only event of the 100th CFDF (China Food and Drinks Fair), where exhibitors move from showcasing at hotels to the Chengdu Western China International Expo City from 21-23 March. In 2018, Táo IWSS had 15 pavilions between the Kempinski hotel and the Shangri-La hotel housing exhibitors from both renowned and emerging wine-producing countries and regions, including China. Record trade visitors were documented in 2018 with over 550 international and domestic exhibitors at the Kempinski hotel, and over 600 exhibitors in Shangri-La hotel. There were over 80,000 trade buyers from China alone to the Táo IWSS in 2018.

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Towards an advanced services economy in Basque Country, Spain: The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao

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The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao (GMB) is more than a landmark for the city of Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain.
Designed by Frank Gehry, it opened in 1997. In three years it had attracted 4 million visitors [1].
Text & Photo © JE Nilsson, CM Cordeiro 2017

On 6 Jan. 2014, The Economist ran a print edition special report on cultural centres and ”The Bilbao effect” [2]. Referring to findings of a McKinsey study, the central observation and argument made is that a vibrant cultural sector, alongisde green spaces and people of diverse backgrounds and nationalities are core elements for the success of any city.

The opening of the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao (GMB), Basque Country, Spain in 1997 stands as prime illustration of how a museum commissioned by a city’s mayor can help transform citylife and living. GMB had as ambition, to attract 400,000 art visitors in the first year of its opening. This number would have enabled them to return total investment in a reasonably short timeframe and deliver income to the city and Basque Country economy [3]. GMB attracted 1 million visitors in its first year of opening. Within the first three years of GMB’s opening, the museum raised over 100m Euro in taxes for the regional government, an amount that more than covered the construction costs. GMB contiues to draw about a million visitors annually, even if its exhibitions remain modest. This observed success of the GMB had a cascading effect on other cities looking to revitalise their economies where over the next decade witnessed the mushrooming of cultural centres in various cities from Brazil, to China and Saudi Arabia [2]. Over the next decade more than two dozen new cultural centres focused on museums are due to be built in various countries, at an estimated cost of $250 billion, according to a study by AEA Consulting, a New York firm that specialises in cultural projects. The Guggenheim ”Bilbao effect” as discourse theme was picked up by the news media and reflected in different scholastic and practitioner circles [8-13].

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Singapore Management University BSM Scandinavia 2017 visit to the Swedish west coast

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The Singapore Management University (SMU) Business Study Mission (BSM) Scandinavia 2017 group visits the Swedish west coast.
The group is led by Tom Estad, Associate Dean Undergraduate Student Matters, and Academic Director, SMU.
Text & Photo © JE Nilsson, CM Cordeiro, J Hagman, Sweden 2017

One my own personal highlights of spring is to meet with students of the Singapore Management University (SMU) Business Study Mission (BSM) Scandinavia. Led by Tom Estad, Associate Dean for Student Matters and Academic Director at SMU, the programme is dynamic in its approach towards teaching and student learning. A core philosophy of SMU is to increase efforts towards interdisciplinary programmes, outside of classroom experiences for students and helping individuals cultivate lifelong learning skills. In hosting the Straits Times (ST) Education Forum 2017 and discussing the future scenario of work, SMU, as an institution of higher education, is explicit in its efforts of striving to be an ecosphere where individuals can ”learn how to learn” [1]. Continue reading ”Singapore Management University BSM Scandinavia 2017 visit to the Swedish west coast” →

Rediscovering the civic district of Singapore, a walk through Singapore Management University (SMU) campus, Singapore 2016

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As testament to the centrality of location of the Singapore Management University (SMU) campus, a reflected view of the CHIJMES steeple as seen on its building facade along Victoria Street, Singapore 2016.
Text & Photo © JE Nilsson, CM Cordeiro, Sweden 2016

The plan was to have an informal lunch meet with students from the Business Study Mission (BSM) Scandinavia, a course offered by the Singapore Management University (SMU), where students travel to Scandinavia with the learning goal of gaining a deeper understanding Scandinavian businesses, corporate cultures and their approaches to sustainable business practices. And while it has become a small tradition to meet in Sweden [1, 2], the lunch meet at SMU was a nice counter perspective for me, for one who has lived and worked in Sweden for almost fifteen years now. But before the lunch meet, a quick tour of the SMU campus with Tom Estad, Associate Dean Undergraduate Programmes of the Lee Kong Chian School of Business at SMU. Having not truly explored the historical civic district of Singapore since its refurbishment, the walkabout of the campus was something I looked forward to.

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Neue Pinakothek, München, Germany 2016, in semiosis

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Cheryl Marie Cordeiro, Neue Pinakothek, München, Germany 2016

In semiosis at the Neue Pinakothek, München, Germany 2016.
Text & Photo © JE Nilsson, CM Cordeiro, Sweden 2016

Museums are to me, the language of space that affords you to cross time and geographical boundaries, continuing conversations with individuals who once were, picking up subjects where you last left off as if on another coffee break. It is space defined both in its Euclidean sense, and in its Minowskian sense [1]. The former defines an architectural closure and the latter as an interwoven fabric of a spacetime continuum.

Cheryl Marie Cordeiro, Neue Pinakothek, München, Germany 2016

hunsinger in der Neuen Pinakothek.

Stepping into the Neue Pinakothek felt as if I was once again in close proximity to artists whose works I am familiar with, last seen when I left the Musée d’Orsay in Paris in March 2016. Continue reading ”Neue Pinakothek, München, Germany 2016, in semiosis” →