On the morning of September 29, at the celebration of Sichuan University's 130th anniversary, reporters interviewed phosphate chemical expert and Sichuan University distinguished professor Zhong Benhe. Professor Zhong is now 89 years old. The team she led pioneered the "neutralization slurry concentration process for ammonium phosphate," which completely reversed China's long-term reliance on imported ammonium phosphate for fertilizer production.

The event scene. Photo by Hua Xiaofeng.

Phosphate fertilizer is the "food" of grain. Once this technology made a breakthrough, Chinese agriculture gained access to domestically produced low-cost, high-quality ammonium phosphate, giving greater confidence to grain production increases. More critically, China was no longer constrained by imports, making the national phosphate fertilizer supply security and the agricultural foundation more stable.

For hundreds of millions of Chinese farmers, this means domestic phosphate fertilizer is available and affordable, reducing farming costs and making the Chinese people's rice bowl more secure.

Zhong Benhe conducting chemical analysis experiments in the preparation and analysis laboratory of Sichuan University's School of Chemical Engineering (file photo). Photo from Sichuan University's official website.

Speaking about these achievements, Professor Zhong Benhe expressed deep gratitude for the platform provided by Sichuan University, which allowed her to realize her life's value, and wished the university even greater success in the future.