Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences (GDAAS) is an agricultural research organization directly regulated by the People’s Government of Guangdong Province. GDAAS was established in 1960 and the predecessor of GDAAS was a rice experimental station of Sun Yat-sen University led by Prof. Ying Ding, a famous agronomist, and South China Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences founded in 1956. After 5 decades, especially 30 years reform and opening-up, comprehensive research strength of GDAAS come out on top in national agricultural academy evaluation.
 
There are 15 research institutes and centers under GDAAS:
Rice Research Institute
Fruit Tree Research Institute
Vegetable Research Institute
Crops Research Institute
Plant Protection Research Institute
Animal Science Research Institute
Sericulture and Farm Produce Processing Research Institute
Agricultural Resrouce and Environment Research Institute
Animal Health Research Institute
Agricultural Economy and Rural Development Research Institute
Tea Research Institute
Environment and Horticulture Research Institute
Agricultural Biological Gene Research Institute
Public Monitoring Center for Agro-product
Agricultural Scientific Experiment and Demonstration Farm
 
Up until 2015, GDAAS has employed more than 1,900 staffs, 378 of which are senior scientists, 24 enjoy government special subsidy rewarded by State Council of People’s Republic of China; 4 are enrolled in the National Baiqianwan Talent Project; 1 gains the title of National Outstanding Professional; 50are enrolled in the National and Provincial Modern Agricultural Technology System.
 
5 National Germplasm Nurseries on wild rice、sweet potato、banana and lychee, and South China Branch of National Tea Germplasm Resources and Mulberry Plant Germplasm Resources Bank are established in GDAAS. Besides, GDAAS has 1 national key laboratory, 1 Key Laboratory Base of Province and Ministry, 7 Regional Key Laboratory of Ministry of Agriculture, 5 Science Observation stations of Ministry of Agriculture, 3 Open Laboratories and 12 Key Laboratories of Guangdong. More than 40,000 germplasm resources are preserved in GDAAS, which is the biggest agricultural biological germplasm gene bank in South China. National Agricultural Science and Technology Park, Guangzhou located in Baiyun district, occupied an area of 150 hectares. It is a multifunctional modernized agricultural station, which gathers scientific research, experimental, demonstration, extension and training together. South China Agricultural Research and Innovation Center of GDAAS, built by the People’s Government of Guangdong Province and Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, with the total investment capital of 238 million Yuan RMB, and 36,000 square meter innovation building has been put into use.
 
GDAAS plays the leading role in agricultural research and technology innovation and modern agriculture development in Guangdong. During 12TH Five-year Plan,  GDAAS has gained 2065 Science & Technology projects,243 Science & Technology awards,1 of which is First-class National Science & Technology Progress Award,1 is Second-class National Science & Technology Progress Award,299 new varieties has been approved, 366 authorized patents have been gained, 279 varieties and 69 technologies have been listed as dominant varieties and technologies of Ministry of Agriculture, provincial and city.
 
At present, coverage area of GDAAS new varieties and techniques takes up 40%-80% of the total planting area in Guangdong. Rice, peanut, sweet potato, wax gourd, chieh-qua, takes up more than 50% of the same crops planting area in Guangdong, More than 420 experimental and demonstration bases have been established over 100 counties in Guangdong, 15 science and technology contract have been signed with Guangzhou, Maoming and other 15 cities and counties, which constructs a science and technology achievement transformation network in Guangdong.