Teamwork and Collaboration. Starting with only a few staff members in its early years, CCAP has expanded to its current size. There are now more than 60 members in the CCAP family, divided into four research program. Although each research program has its own research goals, research approaches, manpower and financial resources, the Center is fundamentally an integrated research body. Research topics and use of manpower often cross program lines and there is continual collaborative work. The Agricultural Development Policy Analysis and Decision Support System Research Program is the core entity that links and coordinates much of the work at the Center. For example, the findings of many of the projects from CCAP’s various research programs provide important parameters and data for DSS research. At the same time, research results from the Agricultural Development Policy Analysis and DSS Research Department often provide background and support for the research staff in other programs. In sum, CCAP believes that only by having interrelated core research areas amongst its departments combined with balanced development among these areas can it optimize the use of manpower and funding, encourage innovation amongst its individual departments and thus create even greater innovation within the Center as a whole. In short, close teamwork and collaboration has been found to be the most efficient and effective way for CCAP to achieve its overall research goals.

Group meeting

Project discussion

　　Focus on Data, Fieldwork, and Household and Community Surveys. By far the most distinctive characteristic of CCAP’s research program is the propensity of its researchers to conduct fieldwork. Rural survey work through sustained contact with local officials and rural households, allows for direct observation and a better understanding of new changes, trends and problems affecting rural China. Experience in rural survey work has allowed the Center to discover and develop the most effective methods and survey instruments for collecting information, thereby ensuring the reliability of the data collected for its policy research. In fact, to guarantee research quality, the Center relies almost solely on its own collected data. The Center designs its own surveys, conducts its own pretests and trains its own survey teams (who are mainly Center graduate students or students from collaborative research institutes and universities). Through is effort the Center has collected an abundant array of data resources. And, as a result, CCAP’s research teams are able to conduct and develop in-depth research of complex agricultural and rural issues in China, and produce clear and logical analyses. Because of their use of high-quality data and the analysis they produce, the Center’s research staff is well-respected for its empirical-based research output and policy analysis.

Dr.Jikun Huang Conducted Farm Household Survey

Cold Weather,War Hearts:Farm Interview

　　Human Capacity-Building and Academic Exchange. Starting from a core team of three research fellows, the Center has since expanded to its current team of eleven core senior fellows. All of CCAP’s core senior staff was either trained overseas or has spent considerable time as a postdoctoral fellow. Three of China’s research fellows have been awarded the “Outstanding Young Scientists” prize which is awarded by China’s National Natural Science Foundation. CCAP’s researchers also have been awarded other national prizes and honors, such as the “Hundred Key Scientists” prize awarded by CAS and the “The New Century’s ‘Bai Qian Wan’ Leading Scientist Program.” Apart from being engaged in high-quality research, CCAP’s research fellows invest significant time in mentoring the Center’s younger researchers and graduate students. Every year the Center recruits new graduate students and post-doctoral researchers, hosts various seminars and training courses, and invites foreign scholars at the cutting-edge of the field to conduct lectures, seminars and courses on economic theory, policy analysis and applied economic research methods. The research staff at CCAP frequently offers its own courses and training programs on economic theory, policy analysis and applied economics. Identifying future policy research needs and hosting academic visitors and students from other research organizations and universities are other ways that CCAP contributes to the capacity-building of its human resources. At the same time, promoting open and innovative policy discussion and academic exchange is one of the other major strategies that CCAP uses in order to stimulate academic and policy debate. A regular forum/seminar series has been developed by CCAP to facilitate the exchange of opinions, insights and research methodologies. CCAP also tries to ensure that its research output is subject to outside peer review before being released to the public.

Celebrating New Graduated Students

CCAP's Annual Staff Training

　　Close Dialogue with Policy Makers and Collaboration with Other Research Organizations. CCAP emphasizes that all of its work should contribute to China’s economic development. CCAP often carries out research activities that address key and emerging issues related to rural and agricultural development, rural household income and environmental sustainability and provides suggestions and recommendations for better policy formulation. Because all of CCAP’s research is empirically based, it has had a significant impact in both academic and policy consultancy circles. Many of CCAP’s policy recommendations have been submitted to and approved for action by China’s top governmental bodies. CCAP also seeks to collaborate with other research organizations in order to promote new ways to undertake policy analysis.