To support the global strategy for sustainable agricultural development, strengthen the global food security system, improve the youth talent pipeline in international agriculture, and drive the transformation and upgrading of the global modern agricultural industry, the World Academy of Agricultural Sciences (WAAS) is about to officially launch the first-phase Global Young Talents Training Programme. As a key special initiative of the Academy to advance international agricultural-science-and-education cooperation and standardised training for global agricultural skilled personnel, the programme will leverage well-established disciplines, high-quality teaching-research resources and modern practical-training platforms of partner Chinese universities. It delivers full-time off-the-job professional skill training for front-line agriculture to young people worldwide, striving to forge a new transnational, standardised and connectable framework for international agricultural talent development.

Under the project plan, the first-phase programme opens participation to eligible young people aged 16-28 across the globe, without restrictions on nationality, academic background or work experience. It prioritises young people committed to modern agriculture and hands-on agricultural-technology practice, aiming to fill gaps in grassroots agricultural technical capacity worldwide and facilitate the global dissemination of advanced agricultural technologies. Implemented as full-time off-campus training hosted by Chinese universities, the programme focuses on front-line practical scenarios of the agricultural sector and develops systematic practical-training curricula aligned with industrial demands, so as to effectively enhance participants' practical professional capabilities and international-oriented professional competence.