The Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning (IARRP), CAAS, hosted an event on Sept 19 called Cultivated Land and Health — part of the 8th Agricultural Science Open Day of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences. The event aimed to take the public on an intriguing scientific journey into the world of cultivated land, with the purpose of sharing scientific knowledge about land protection and utilization, in a bid to boost public awareness.

The affair featured a dual-venue format, with a main venue at Zhongguancun and a sub-venue at the Shandong Dezhou experimental base. At the main Zhongguancun venue, leading science communicators, including Li Wenjuan, an award-winning science promoter and Bai Youlu, a fertilizer science expert, gave talks on land protection, green fertilizers and fertilization techniques. The event put 15 innovative products on show, including new fertilizers and microbial agents. It displayed profile specimens of five typical soil types: paddy soil, red soil, brown desert soil, leached black calcium soil and yellow soil. The exhibits graphically demonstrated the structural characteristics of soils from different regions, highlighting China's unique "five-colored soil". Additionally, a fun experiment allowed participants to impress their palms onto various media for cultivation, vividly displaying microbial colony morphology and promoting knowledge of agricultural microbiology.

At the Shandong Dezhou experimental base sub-venue, the focus was on soil fertility enhancement and the application of green fertilizers. The venue hosted educational experience activities for primary and secondary school students, combining experimental operations with real-field scenarios. Students observed crop growth, learned about the effects of different fertilizers, and gained a visual understanding of soil water movement through leaching pool experiments. These hands-on experiences deepened their understanding of healthy soil and the effectiveness of saline-alkali land improvements. 

Through a range of science communications methods, including expert lectures, physical displays, immersive experiences and the distribution of educational materials, the Agricultural Science Open Day comprehensively disseminated know-how about land protection and use. It highlighted IARRP's research achievements and technological advantages in land protection, green fertilizer development and in applications. The event attracted over a thousand participants, including community residents, students and industry experts, who engaged in interactive experiences. The event aimed to make the concept of "Cultivated Land and Health" tangible, understandable and participatory, raising the public profile of the importance of land protection and scientific fertilization for food security. It further educated the public on how scientific innovation by researchers contributes to more fertile lands and healthier cultivated fields, ensuring a more stable, abundant and nutritious food supply for the nation.