FUJIAN AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY UNIVERSITY

Their core work

Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University (FAFU) is a Chinese university specializing in agricultural science, soil management, and forestry research. Within H2020, they serve as the Chinese partner in Sino-European collaborative projects focused on soil hydrology, land use management, and urban forestry. Their contribution centers on providing Chinese field data, agronomic expertise, and comparative research sites for EU-China bilateral studies on sustainable land and water management.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

FAFU's early H2020 involvement (2018) centered on agricultural soil science — water scarcity, sustainable intensification, and socioeconomic dimensions of land use. By 2019, their focus broadened into urban ecology, including nature-based solutions, urban forests, and green infrastructure through CLEARING HOUSE. This shift suggests a deliberate expansion from rural agricultural research toward urban-rural environmental systems.

FAFU is moving from traditional agricultural soil science toward urban ecosystem resilience, positioning them for future projects bridging food systems and urban sustainability.

How they like to work

FAFU participates exclusively as a partner, never as coordinator — consistent with their role as the Chinese counterpart in EU-China bilateral research initiatives. With 62 unique consortium partners across 19 countries from just 3 projects, they operate in large, internationally diverse consortia. This makes them an accessible entry point for European groups seeking a credible Chinese academic partner for bilateral calls.

Despite only 3 projects, FAFU has built connections with 62 partners across 19 countries, reflecting the large consortium sizes typical of EU-China cooperation calls. Their network spans broadly across Europe and China.

What sets them apart

FAFU's key differentiator is their role as a reliable Chinese university partner in EU-China bilateral research, particularly in soil science and forestry. For European consortia preparing proposals under Sino-EU cooperation topics, FAFU offers established experience navigating these cross-continental partnerships. Their dual competence in agricultural soils and urban forestry is uncommon for a single Chinese partner institution.

Highlights from their portfolio

• CLEARING HOUSE
  A five-year project (2019-2024) on urban forests and nature-based solutions — FAFU's longest H2020 engagement and a bridge between their agricultural roots and urban ecology.
• SHui
  EU-China soil hydrology research platform addressing water scarcity — directly connects FAFU's core agricultural expertise to a critical European challenge.
• SIEUSOIL
  Sino-EU Soil Observatory for intelligent land use — represents a major bilateral data-sharing infrastructure between Europe and China.