The Director of The University of Western Australia’s Institute of Agriculture, Hackett Professor Kadambot Siddique, has received the highest honour that the Shaanxi Provincial Government in China bestows upon foreign experts.

Professor Siddique was presented the Sanqin Friendship Award for his outstanding contribution to the economic construction and society development of Shaanxi Province during a special ceremony yesterday at Northwest A&F University (NWAFU).

“I am humbled and honoured to receive this prestigious award,” he said.

“I sincerely thank NWAFU senior management and academic staff, especially President Professor Wu Put, Professor Hao Feng and Associate Professor Yufeng Zou, as well as postgraduate students, for their support and collaboration over the years.”

Image: Professor Kadambot Siddique (middle) with NWAFU President Professor Wu Put and Shi Gaoling, the Deputy Secretary and Executive Vice Mayor of Yangling.

The award was presented by Shi Gaoling, who is the Deputy Secretary and Executive Vice Mayor of Yangling and former Deputy Director of Department of Science and Technology, Shaanxi Province.

NWAFU Vice President Professor Luo Jun delivered the opening remarks, followed by a congratulatory speech from Professor Put.

“Professor Siddique has made outstanding contributions to the development of our university’s dryland agriculture discipline and talent cultivation,” Professor Put said.

Professor Siddique is an Honorary Professor at NWAFU and is serving as the leading scientist of its Innovation Talent Project of Modern Water-saving Agriculture Technology for Arid Area.

Over the past five years, their research collaborations have targeted sustainable agricultural development goals to achieve significant economic, social, and ecological benefits.

Projects include developing high- nutrient and -water use efficiency crop production technologies and theoretical systems for dryland agricultural areas in the Loess Plateau and building high-yield and efficient crop cultivation systems.

Professor Siddique and NWAFU scientists have jointly published more than 100 academic papers and assisted in supervising more than 20 postgraduate students.

Following the award ceremony, Professor Siddique delivered a public lecture on ‘Diversifying crops and cropping systems to enhance agro-ecosystem resilience’.

Image: Professor Siddique delivering his lecture..

In 2019, Professor Siddique received the Friendship Award from the Chinese Central Government, which is the highest award for a foreign expert, in recognition of his contributions to agricultural science and education in China.

Six years prior, Professor Siddique was honoured with the Dunhuang Award from the Gansu Provincial Government.