ROME, July 9 (Xinhua) -- The inception workshop of the Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) flagship One Country One Priority Product (OCOP) Initiative through the FAO-China South-South Cooperation Programme (SSC) kicked off Tuesday morning in Italy's capital, Rome.
Launched globally by FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu in September 2021, the OCOP initiative aims to promote, at global, regional, and local levels, special agricultural products (SAPs) that possess unique qualities and characteristics linked to specific geographical locations, farming practices, and cultural heritage.
Over the three-day workshop at FAO's headquarters in Rome, project leaders from 15 demonstration countries across five global regions came together to exchange insights and plan implementation.
According to FAO, China has committed 5 million U.S. dollars -- the largest single contribution to the OCOP initiative to date -- to support global capacity-building and demonstration activities through SSC.
During the opening session, Beth Bechdol, edputy director-general of FAO, said in her remarks that China's generous contribution is a significant milestone.
She thanked China for its support and said: "By leveraging South-South and Triangular Cooperation, we can amplify our impact, foster robust partnerships, and mobilize resources to deliver a cohesive and effective approach to sustainable development."
Zhang Lubiao, China's Permanent Representative to FAO, emphasized that China attaches great importance to green and high-quality agricultural development. He noted that China's experience has shown that promoting distinctive and competitive agricultural products is an effective pathway for achieving sustainable agricultural and rural development.
"The OCOP initiative is a powerful example of how developing countries can work together, exchange knowledge, and drive inclusive, sustainable development," he said: "China stands ready to continue working with FAO and OCOP countries, sharing experience, technology, and practical solutions under the South-South Cooperation framework."
Hafiz Muminjanov, global coordinator of the OCOP Secretariat, told Xinhua that OCOP has established strong and productive cooperation with China. Scholars from Chinese academies have supported the initiative by helping promote sustainable value chains for various agricultural products, such as potatoes and sweet cherries, in many countries.
As of July 4, 2025, a total of 95 FAO member nations across all five regions have committed to promoting the sustainable development of 56 special agricultural products under the OCOP initiative, which range from field and horticulture crops, to forest, livestock, and fishery products.
The workshop runs from July 8 to 10 at FAO headquarters, featuring multiple sessions focused on sharing best practices and lessons learned from global OCOP implementation, and on raising awareness of the initiative through FAO-China SSC.
