On March 30, a special meeting of the Editorial Board of the International Soil and Water Conservation Research (ISWCR), the official journal of WASWAC, was held at the Secretariat of WASWAC. The current Editor-in-Chief of ISWCR, including Prof. Michael Maerker, Chief Scientist at the Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research of Germany and Prof. Baoyuan Liu of Beijing Normal University, and the founding Editor-in-Chief, Prof. Rui Li, the Honorary President of WASWAC, attended the meeting.

The meeting was chaired by Prof. Paige Chyu, Executive Editor of the journal. Prof. Duihu Ning, President of WASWAC, delivered a welcoming address, expressing gratitude to the editorial board team led by the Editors-in-Chief for their hard work and fully affirming the achievements of the journal. Prof. Rui Li reviewed the development history of the journal and extended thanks to all parties that have long cared for and supported the advancement of soil and water conservation as a discipline and the growth of the journal. Prof. Paige Chyu reported on the recent progress of the journal. With the chairmanship of Prof.Baoyuan Liu, the participants had in-depth discussions on key topics including the high-quality development of the journal, the expansion of international cooperation, and the enhancement of academic impact. Prof. Michael Maerker spoke highly of the journal’s performance in recent years, stating that it is in a "highly influential developmental stage" and commending the remarkable improvement in the quality of submissions over the past year. Ms. Lijuan Xu, Associate Senior Editor of China Water & Power Press Co., Ltd., the publisher of the journal, emphasized that the press would continue to provide strong support, work with the editorial board to optimize the publication process, and fully promote the high-quality development of the journal.

Prior to the special meeting of the Editorial Board, Prof. Michael Maerker delivered a lecture at the "Global Vision Forum" of the China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research (IWHR). His presentation was entitled “Agroecological Transitions in Agricultural Landscapes and Their Implications for Soil Erosion”. The lecture was moderated by Prof. Pengfei Du, the Executive Deputy Secretary-General of WASWAC.

The report elaborates on the connotation and basic principles of agroecology. Based on the framework of FAO, it clarifies that its core lies in integrating ecological principles and social concepts into the design and management of sustainable agriculture and food systems, with a focus on key areas such as regenerative agriculture, soil health management, biodiversity enhancement, and nutrient recycling. It provides theoretical guidance for achieving the synergistic goals of environmental health, economic sustainability, and social equity. Against the reality of global agricultural development, the report analyzes the severe current situation of land degradation and soil erosion. Citing relevant research data, it points out that soil loss has reduced global agricultural food production by more than 30 million tons, which in turn has driven up global food prices by up to 3.5%. The annually economic losses caused by water erosion alone amount to as high as 8 billion US dollars.

Prof. Michael Maerker also presented the achievements of the AGRECO4CAST project led by his research team. Funded by the European Union, the project has established a standardized evaluation framework to promote the application of agroecological practices in perennial cropping systems across Europe, such as vineyards, olive orchards and fruit orchards. By combining customized monitoring schemes and tailored transition pathway design, the project provides scientific support for agricultural development in Europe.

In the discussion, participants from the Beijing Normal University, Northwest University (China), the Institute of Soil and Water Conservation of Northwest A&F University, the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research of Chinese Academy of Sciences, China Water & Power Press Co., Ltd., and other institutions had an in-depth exchanges with Prof. Michael Maerker on topics including agroecological support mechanisms in Europe and practical pathways for the implementation of soil and water conservation measures.