Photo: Universidad de Chile.
The University of Chile and China's Tianjin Nongkenjingang Co., Ltd. have formalized a landmark cooperation agreement to establish a Chile‑China Demonstration Farm at the German Greve Silva Experimental Station in Maipú, Santiago. The agreement was signed on July 29, 2025, in a ceremony attended by senior officials from Chile’s Ministry of Agriculture, the University of Chile, and diplomatic representatives from China, including Ambassador Qingbao Niu.
Spanning 15.7 hectares, the farm will feature high-tech greenhouses, experimental crop plots, and shared spaces for joint scientific and technological development. The project aims to foster collaboration among researchers, agricultural producers, and university students from both countries.
Chile's Minister of Agriculture, Esteban Valenzuela, emphasized the strategic importance of the partnership: "As China is Chile’s leading commercial partner, this alliance offers deep potential for advancing food security and sustainable agriculture." The project is designed to integrate innovation across national agencies-including the Innovation for Agriculture Foundation (FIA), the Agricultural Research Institute (INIA), and the Office of Agricultural Policy Studies (ODEPA).
Ambassador Niu highlighted that both Chile and China benefit from complementary geographic and climatic conditions, making them "natural partners" in agro-innovation. The Chilean university's leadership in scientific expertise was praised by Tianjin Food Group’s Chairman, who noted that institutional cooperation and a shared commitment accelerated the project's development.
Officials also reiterated that the Maipú demonstration farm mirrors Chile’s long-standing demonstration farm in Tianjin, China-an initiative where Chile’s agricultural technologies and fruit varieties such as cherries, peaches, and walnuts have been successfully tested and showcased. The new farm aims to replicate this Chile-China exchange model in Chilean territory.
Looking forward, the farm is positioned to become a hub for climate-smart agriculture, agri-tech innovation, and South-South scientific collaboration. Research extensions will focus on sustainable production, AI-enabled greenhouse systems, and knowledge transfer to local farmers and academic communities.
* Original text in Spanish. Translated by Large Language Model (LLM) technology.
Main Source:
U. de Chile y empresa estatal china concretan alianza para construir innovadora granja demostrativa en Maipú – Universidad de Chile
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