Webinar overview
Duration: 60 minutes
Format: Virtual (Zoom)
Language: English

Target audience:
Researchers, students, extension services, practitioners, and development partners working on saline agriculture, soil restoration, and salinity‑resilient food systems.

Background
Saline–alkali soils represent one of the most severe constraints to agricultural productivity worldwide, particularly in arid, semi‑arid, and coastal regions. Increasing water scarcity, the impacts of climate change, and unsustainable land and water management practices have accelerated soil salinization, putting food security and rural livelihoods at risk.

As a staple food for more than half of the world’s population, rice offers promising opportunities for the reclamation of salt‑affected lands, particularly through the development and deployment of varieties with enhanced salinity tolerance.

China has achieved significant progress in the large‑scale reclamation and productive use of saline–alkali soils through integrated, science‑based approaches. These experiences provide valuable lessons for other regions facing similar challenges. Within this context, the International Network of Salt‑Affected Soils (INSAS) is organizing this webinar to showcase a structure‑first, integrated framework for rice cultivation under saline conditions and to facilitate knowledge exchange on scalable and replicable solutions.

Aim
The webinar aims to present and discuss an integrated framework—based on research, practices, and field results from China—for converting saline–alkali land into productive rice‑based systems, and to explore its relevance for the sustainable management of salt‑affected soils globally.

Specific objectives
Present an integrated framework for saline–alkali soil reclamation based on coordinated engineering, soil, fertility, and agronomic interventions.
Explain key mechanisms underlying soil physical improvement, salt leaching, and water regulation in saline–alkali environments.
Share field evidence from large‑scale implementation of rice cultivation on saline–alkali soils, including productivity, soil health, and economic outcomes.
Discuss monitoring protocols, cost considerations, and pathways for replication in other agroecological contexts.
Foster dialogue among researchers, practitioners, and policymakers on sustainable saline agriculture and climate‑resilient food production.

Webinar content overview
The webinar will introduce a four‑pillar framework for saline–alkali land utilization:

Engineering interventions
Land levelling and matched irrigation–drainage systems to regulate the water table and enable effective salt leaching.

Soil restructuring
Application of biobased amendments that promote durable soil aggregation through cation bridging and hydrogen‑bond interactions, rebuilding soil porosity from the micro‑ to mesoscale.

Targeted fertility enhancement
Integration of organic inputs, microbial inoculants, and mineral supplements to support crop establishment and soil biological activity.

Adaptive agronomy
Management strategies including a “water‑to‑drought” rotation, starting with rice and transitioning to dryland crops as soil conditions improve.

Empirical results from China will be highlighted, including implementation across more than 170 field sites and the conversion of over 3,000 hectares of sodic soils into high‑yielding paddy systems. Improvements in rice yield, soil hydraulic conductivity, and overall land productivity will be discussed alongside cost and monitoring considerations.

Expected outcomes
Enhanced understanding of practical and scalable approaches for rice cultivation under saline–alkali conditions.
Increased awareness of integrated soil–water–crop management strategies for reclaiming salt‑affected soils.
Strengthened knowledge exchange within the INSAS community and beyond.
Contribution to global efforts to promote sustainable saline agriculture and climate‑resilient food systems.

Speaker
Professor Shuwen Hu
College of Resources and Environmental Sciences,
China Agricultural University (CAU), Beijing, China

Professor Shuwen Hu is a leading expert in the ecological restoration and utilization of saline–alkali land, with more than three decades of research experience. His work focuses on soil structure remodeling, controlled‑release fertilizers, biobased soil amendments, and sustainable cropping systems for salt‑affected environments.

He has led large‑scale field programmes across China, translating scientific innovation into practical solutions for saline–alkali soil reclamation and increased grain productivity. Professor Hu has authored numerous peer‑reviewed publications, holds multiple patents related to soil amendments and controlled‑release technologies, and serves as an expert and advisor to national and international initiatives.

Agenda
10:00–10:05 – Opening remarks
Jorge Batlle‑Sales, Chair, International Network of Salt‑Affected Soils

10:05–10:45 – Rice cultivation under saline conditions: an example from China
Shuwen Hu, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University (CAU)

10:45–10:55 – Questions and answers
Moderated by Maria Konyushkova, FAO

10:55–11:00 – Concluding remarks
Jorge Batlle‑Sales, Chair, International Network of Salt‑Affected Soils