Recently,  the Institute of Vegetables and Flowers , the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences had the honor of hosting Ismahane Elouafi, Executive Director of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). The visit was marked by the presence of distinguished guests including Jianmin Xie, Director of the International Potato Center's Asia-Pacific Center (China), and Zhigang Chen, Director of the East Asia, Southeast Asia, and Central Asia Regional Office of the International Food Policy Research Institute. The event was also graced by Zhai Lin, Deputy Director of the International Cooperation Bureau, Zhang Shengping, Deputy Director of the Institute, and Li Lei, Director of the Research Management Office, among others.

The delegation, led by Director Elouafi, embarked on a tour of the institute's southern district greenhouse, where they were greeted with enthusiasm by Deputy Director Zhang Shengping. Director Li Lei provided an overview of the institute, highlighting its significant strides in scientific innovation and international collaboration. The visitors were then escorted through the flower display section, where Fan Youwei , a mid-level researcher, offered insights into the institute's capabilities in flower resource management and variety breeding. The delegation expressed a keen interest in the institute's extensive flower breeding resources and sophisticated techniques for flower period modulation.

CGIAR's mission is to empower developing countries to achieve sustainable food security and reduce poverty through scientific research and activities in various sectors, including agriculture, livestock, forestry, fisheries, policy, and natural resource management. Director Elouafi commended the institute's accomplishments in vegetable variety selection and flower breeding, and expressed a desire for deeper collaborative ties to share knowledge, enhance cooperation, and foster sustainable development.

The event concluded with participation from experts of the institute's Cucurbitaceae Research Laboratory and Flower Research Laboratory, among other teams.