From January 9 to 10, 2008, a two-day seminar wrapped up in Beijing Zhong Ou Hotel, the main theme of which was capacity building for gender focal points. It was co-organized by the three projects - Sustainable Agriculture Development Project (SADP), Small Farmers Adapting to Global Markets Project (SFAGM) and Livestock Health Extension Service Project (LHESP). Altogether 40 people who belonged to either province-based or county-based gender equality focal points under each project attended the seminar. They came from Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, Gansu, Sichuan, Hunan, Hubei, Chongqing, Jilin and Shaanxi, altogether nine provinces.

Gender expert, Zhao Jie with Yunnan Academy of Social Sciences was invited to chair the conference. Among the honorable guests who attended the conference were Gao Xiaoxian from Shaanxi Research Society of WomenĄŻs Theory, Marriage and Family, Professor Liu Yun from Xinjiang University and Professor Wang Yihuan and Doctor Zhang Xuemei from China Agricultural University. The project manager of SADP, Mr. Brant Kirychuk also delivered an address at the opening ceremony.

The seminar would need to achieve three objectives: (1) exchange the experience in promotion of gender mainstreaming and strengthen related awareness and skills; (2) discuss the existing problems and seek solutions; and (3) design and plan the activities to promote gender equality in 2008/2009.

The participatory approach was taken in the training where the guests answered the questions and made comments on the spot, which highlighted the heated interactive atmosphere of the conference. It was agreed unanimously by all the attendees that it would be necessary to integrate gender awareness into their own work while enhancing their own capacity building.