Institute of Subtropical Agriculture (ISA), Chinese Academy of Sciences successfully and Naresuan University (Thailand) homed to the 2nd International Symposium on Sustainable Agriculture for Subtropical Regions (ISSASR-2) at the Hunan Zidongge Huatian Hotel on September 15-18, 2010. Specialists and delegates, from China, France, Thailand, Japan, Australia, France, Canada, Mexico, Egypt, Uganda, India, amounting to 150 attendees, participated in the conference.

Bureau of International Co-operation, Chinese Academy of Sciences sponsored the conference in collaboration with National Natural Science Foundation of China and The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

On the morning of Sep. 16, Professor J. Keith Syers (Naresuan University, Thailand) and Professor Jinshui Wu (Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, China) took charge in the opening ceremony. Professor Kelin Wang (director of ISA) and Dr. Chanin Umpornsatil (Dean, Faculty of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment, Naresuan University, Thailand) addressed the opening session. Dr. Kevin Chen from International Food Policy Research Institute, China, Dr. Suhas Wani from Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, India and Professor Nan Zhibao from Lanzhou University, China were also invited to attend and give wonderful Plenary lectures

During the three-day meeting, experts and delegates discussed Sustainable crop production and food security, Resources and management for sustaining agricultural ecosystems, Integrating crops and livestock, Interactions among agricultural production, climate change and the environment, with the forms of plenary sessions, team discussions and posters.

The major outcomes of this symposium listed as following:

？　　　　 The sub-tropical (ST) region is diverse and embraces many agricultural systems involving a range of crops and animals, some of which are integrated, others not

？　　　　 Despite the fact that the STs are a major source of food for people in these areas there is insufficient focus from inter-governmental and donor agencies in terms of their current level of support