疫情期间，区域农业与农村发展研究中心迅速部署工作，积极响应对策，根据基层组织疫情信息采集的迫切需求，快速建立并启动了新冠肺炎疫情信息非接触性精准采集与动态监测系统”，并积极开展传染病与地理学相关的研究。病毒传播，区域防控，为政府提供科学决策支持，都是与地理相关的问题。因此，刘彦随主任号召地理学家应该一起在这场对抗新型冠状病毒的斗争中贡献力量，防范控制疫情。鉴于当前疫情的态势，刘彦随主任与IGU官方通信，提出了相关建议。以下为通信原文：

Dear IGU president H and members,

        This is Yansui Liu, chair of the IGU Commission on Agricultural Geography and Land Engineering (IGU-AGLE). We highly appreciate the joint efforts call initiated by the Geographical Society of China（GSC）, and the quick response from President Yukio Himiyama and other colleagues.

        As the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has now spread to 29 countries and infected nearly 80,000 (2634 dead cited WHO) globally. During the past month, we have experienced very strict epidemic prevention while carrying out epidemic and geography related research. The epidemic spreading, regional prevention and control, scientific decision support for the government should be a comprehensive geographical problem. Thus, we geographers can do something together, to contribute to the fight against the coronavirus. Considering the current epidemic situation, we hereby would like to share with you several proposals.

        1)To jointly develop a Global Epidemic Monitoring and Decision-making System (GEMDS). Our research group at Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences has developed a National Novel Coronavirus Monitoring System (NNCMS, V2.0) under the guidance of CAS and GSC, which can record and follow individual’s health situation and make prediction of the epidemic. Several consulting reports for Chinese government were produced according to the analysis supported by the system. As far as we know, several teams of Chinese geographers have carried out relevant systematic research. Any ideas to develop GEMDS and volunteers are welcome to join these works.

        2)To suggest IGU organizing experts to investigate and analyze the epidemic situation and make modelling prediction at both national and global levels. All this works finally turns into IGU research reports which are to submit to WHO and other relevant countries or regions.

        3)To initiate several projects in the fields of Global Epidemic Monitoring and Decision-making System (GEMDS) for public health and hazards controlling based on the research practice of the novel coronavirus. We appreciate the support from IGU and joint applications and international cooperation are encouraged.

       Do hope you can evaluate the proposals and make feedbacks. We sincerely hope IGU can make in-time contribution to the global coronavirus prevention. Enclosed is the manual of NNCMS in Chinese (we can offer other languages version if necessary). Finally, wish you all the best and good health.

      With kind regards,

     On behalf of the IGU Commission on Agricultural Geography and Land Engineering (IGU-AGLE) 

    Professor Yansui Liu

    Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, 

    Chinese Academy of Sciences