Chrysanthemum Stone Unveiled: BGI Joins Hands with FAO to Safeguard Global Food Security

October 16 marks the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). On the eve of the anniversary, FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu and Yu Dejian, President and Director of BGI Tech, jointly unveiled a chrysanthemum stone donated by BGI as a tribute to FAO’s 80th anniversary. BGI also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with FAO to carry out scientific research cooperation in agricultural genomics and biotechnology, promote sustainable development through perennial crops, and jointly safeguard global food security.

FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu and Yu Dejian, President and Director of BGI Tech, unveil the chrysanthemum stone

In his keynote address, Director-General Qu Dongyu introduced the origin and symbolism of the chrysanthemum stone and expressed his appreciation to BGI for the commemorative gift marking FAO’s 80th anniversary. Yu Dejian noted that the stone comes from Hunan, the Director-General’s hometown, and symbolizes resilience and strength—an apt reflection of FAO’s mission. BGI is willing to further strengthen cooperation with FAO by leveraging cutting-edge gene sequencing technologies and platforms to advance agricultural genomics and biotechnology innovations, contributing to solutions for global food security.

The original chrysanthemum stone comes from Liuyang, Hunan Province. Standing 4 meters tall and weighing 5 tons, it is erected at the entrance of the FAO headquarters and has become a striking feature of the newly renovated campus.

On the same day, Yu Dejian also witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between BGI Group and FAO. The two parties will leverage BGI’s strengths in multidimensional genomic analysis to enhance cooperation in areas such as biological breeding, pest and disease control, microbial applications, and the cultivation of perennial crops.

Xiong Tao, Vice President of International Development Affairs at BGI Group, and Vincent Martin, Head of the FAO Office of Innovation, sign the Memorandum of Understanding.

On the 10th, as part of the 80th anniversary celebration series, FAO hosted its first “From Seeds to Food” exhibition in Rome. BGI participated in the China Pavilion, showcasing perennial rice, microbial agents, the G99 model, and more. Director-General Qu Dongyu, King Letsie III of Lesotho, and Rachmat Pambudy, Indonesia’s Minister of National Development Planning, among others, visited the exhibition.

Director-General Qu Dongyu (second from left), King Letsie III of Lesotho (first from left), and others visit the China Pavilion.

China Pavilion at the Asia-Pacific Hall of FAO’s first “From Seeds to Food” exhibition

As a practitioner of agricultural science and technology innovation, BGI has been deeply engaged in the agricultural sector for more than 20 years. From pioneering whole-genome molecular breeding systems to agricultural microbiology research, and from germplasm innovation to green cultivation technologies, BGI has built a comprehensive innovation system covering multiple key stages of agricultural production. Among these, perennial rice, as a simplified rice-farming model, enables “plant once, harvest continuously,” reducing parts of traditional rice cultivation processes and promoting a transition toward resource-efficient and environmentally friendly rice production. It has now been planted in over 130 regions across 10 countries worldwide.

Following its selection for Science magazine’s “Top 10 Scientific Breakthroughs,” recommendation as a staple crop variety by China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and global promotion by FAO, perennial rice was further included in June this year in the “Implementation List of Outcomes of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation,” becoming a model for Belt and Road agricultural technology cooperation. This innovation not only provides a practical Chinese solution for global food security, but also builds an important platform for agricultural technology collaboration and talent exchange.

Today, the chrysanthemum stone standing at FAO headquarters symbolizes not only the deep friendship between the two sides, but also bears witness to China’s scientific and technological strength actively participating in global food security governance. Looking ahead, BGI Group looks forward to continuing its partnership with FAO, transforming more agricultural science and technology innovations into effective measures to safeguard global food security and contribute China’s strength to the world.