The 2025 Global Sustainable Agriculture (GSSA) Forum concluded successfully in Haikou, Hainan Province, establishing a comprehensive framework for international cooperation in climate-smart farming practices. Held December 5-6 under the theme “Sustainable Agriculture for All,” the gathering brought together approximately 150 participants including international organization representatives, agricultural diplomats from over ten nations, researchers, entrepreneurs, and farming practitioners.
The forum’s programming addressed critical challenges including global food security mechanisms, environmental-social-governance (ESG) standards in agriculture, technological innovation deployment, and investment strategies for sustainable development. Sun Xi, founder and secretary-general of the GSSA Forum, emphasized the event’s role in creating practical platforms for global agricultural cooperation while supporting Hainan Free Trade Port’s expanding international functions.
Distinguished speakers included former UN Under-Secretary-General Noeleen Heyzer, who highlighted the urgent need for empowering small-scale and women farmers through technology-enabled efficiency gains and transformed consumption patterns. “Building fair and resilient food markets requires systemic change toward climate-smart agricultural methods,” Heyzer stated during the plenary session.
China Institute for Reform and Development President Chi Fulin presented groundbreaking recommendations for urban-rural integration strategies, proposing increased property income for farmers, industrial integration for modernization, and enhanced rural public services. For Hainan’s specific development, Chi advocated for elevated land valuation, collaborative tropical agricultural bases with Guangdong targeting ASEAN markets, and establishing Hainan as a pivotal marine economy hub in China-ASEAN relations.
The forum officially launched the multidimensional “GSA Ecosystem” comprising five interconnected platforms: forum, club, academy, fund, and alliance. Organizers announced the 2026 forum will convene in April in Hefei, Anhui Province, alongside the International Rural Development Innovation Expo. The event also featured specialized farmer dialogue sessions and four roundtable discussions, followed by December 6 study visits to the Huayang Ocean Research Center and National Institute for South China Sea Studies for exchanges on blue economy governance.