Guiyang Forum Unveils Next-Gen Technologies Driving China’s High-Quality Pesticide Development

By CAPDA|8 December 2025
CAPDA President Zhou Pugu

CAPDA President Zhou Pugu addresses attendees at the 15th High-Level Forum on High-Quality Pesticide Development in Guiyang, Guizhou Province.

From November 29 to 30, 2025, the 15th High-Level Forum on High-Quality Pesticide Development was held in Guiyang, Guizhou Province. Co-hosted by the China Association of Pesticide Development and Application (CAPDA) and CropLife China, the forum operated under the theme “Innovation, Green Development, Integration, and Growth,” bringing together nearly 300 delegates from global organizations, leading pesticide enterprises, and research institutions.

The forum featured prominent speakers including Members of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE) Qian Xuhong, Song Bao’an, and Zheng Yuguo; officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) and local governments; and leaders from industry, academia, and associations.

Zhou Puguo, President of CAPDA, stated that China’s pesticide industry has evolved from its early stages to become a major global force. The industry is now advancing a strategic transition towards intelligent and green development, shifting its focus from scale to quality.

Wang Jianqiang, Inspector of the Crop Production Department at MARA, emphasized that the industrial structure has seen continuous optimization during the 14th Five-Year Plan period. He noted that future efforts will focus on phasing out outdated production capacity and enhancing standardized management throughout the entire value chain.

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Nearly 300 delegates from global organizations, leading pesticide enterprises, and research institutions attended the event.

Presentations and discussions delved into cutting-edge fields such as quantum thinking, synthetic biology, AI-powered protein design, RNA interference technology, nano-pesticides, and AI-enabled pesticide informatics platforms. Presentations highlighted how these innovations are facilitating the shift from high-risk to low-risk pesticides and showcased AI’s potential in pest identification and precision spraying, underscoring technology’s role in driving industrial upgrading.

Other key topics included the use of organ-on-a-chip technology to replace animal testing, revolutionizing toxicity assessment; and how synthetic biology is transforming pesticide production from traditional chemical manufacturing to bio-manufacturing, enabling low-carbon, circular development.

CropLife International Executive Vice President for Agricultural Policy Christoph Neumann.

Eeva Leinala from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) elaborated on the Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) data mutual recognition framework. Christoph Neumann, Executive Vice President for Agricultural Policy at CropLife International, outlined the history, current landscape, and R&D priorities of global pesticide innovation. The Brazilian CropLife Association shared insights on accessing emerging markets, while CropLife Japan presented its practices in pesticide R&D and innovation.

Tracy Wu, Chairman of CropLife China, stressed the importance of localization for multinational corporations and encouraged Chinese companies to evolve from merely exporting products to exporting “standards, brands, and services.” This approach, she noted, would foster greater synergy across the global industry value chain.

By showcasing advancements in AI, organ-on-a-chip technology, and protein design, and by integrating global expert insights, the forum has provided fresh impetus for the high-quality development of China’s pesticide industry.

China Association of Pesticide Development & Application (CAPDA) was established in September 2006. It is a nationwide, industry-based, non-profit social organization with legal person status, voluntarily formed by enterprises, institutions, social organizations, and rural professional cooperative economic organizations engaged in and committed to the scientific development and application of pesticides in China.

With the purpose of serving the country, society, the public, and the industry, CAPDA fully leverages its strengths in government communication and industry connections. It safeguards the legal rights and interests of its members, promotes unity and cooperation among members, and unites forces from all sectors of society to form a collective advantage, thereby promoting the scientific and comprehensive development of China's pesticide industry.

China supplies over sixty percent of the global demand for pesticides. More importantly, CAPDA has strengthened international exchanges and cooperation, and services to promote the transformation of international codex standards into good agricultural practices for the safe and rational use of pesticides. It explores the establishment of communication and cooperation mechanisms with international organizations, neighboring countries, and key regional institutions to achieve sustainable agricultural development.

The scope of the China Association of Pesticide Development & Application includes industry self-regulation, conducting research and surveys, public education, technology promotion, capacity training and building, international cooperation, editorial work of books and periodicals, and consulting services.

The association was incorporated under China laws. See all author stories here.