“我觉得我终于找对人了！”
Lam, a prominent expert in agricultural science, had decoded the genomes of 31 soybean varieties, breeding non-genetically modified drought and salinity-tolerant germplasms, and was the first from Hong Kong to participate in a national-level space agricultural research project.
“Hong Kong has a better life. But, I think if you really want to serve the farmer community, you should come to some agricultural country and serve.”
民胞物与、协和万邦
With most of its agricultural land dedicated to five traditional crops and suffering from low soybean yield and quality, the country relies heavily on soybean imports for animal feed, unlike China's familiarity and consumption of soy products.
"What’s important now is to bring in soybean as a mainstream green crop."
In 2023, Lam, for the first time, visited Pakistan, taking with him a branch of seeds. Unlike the Long Huang series, what Lam prepared for Pakistan is genetically unstable soybean seeds, still undergoing change, with the hope of developing a variety that could thrive in the local environment.
翻山越岭来种豆
In the following days, Rehman and Lam’s team visited various villages, encountering soybean plots tucked away among cornfields, coriander, and winter melons, or nestled within vast sunflower expanses.
As the Chinese saying goes — give people fish and you feed them for a day; teach them how to fish and you feed them for a lifetime. Lam shared this Chinese philosophy through actions.
悠悠万事，吃饭为大
"Agriculture is food for poor countries," he says.
The collaboration between China and Pakistan in agricultural development highlighted the enduring bonds between the two nations, tracing back to the ancient Silk Road and flourishing under the modern Belt and Road Initiative.
"Building international friendships, connecting people at the grassroots level, and using science to help those in need have always been the core values of our Hong Kong team," says Lam.
