Adhering to the concept of "innovation first", Shanxi Agricultural University (SXAU) focuses on the needs of national strategy and Shanxi provincial ‘special’ and ‘excellent’ modern agricultural development, enhances basic research and applied basic research comprehensively, and supports provincial modern agriculture industrial development strongly through high-level R&D achievements.

In the period of "Thirteenth Five-Year Plan", SXAU has won 3 second prizes of the State Science and Technology Advancement Award, 16 first prizes and 76 second prizes of ministerial and provincial awards.

SXAU has obtained 43 State Authorized Varieties and 355 Provincial Authorized Varieties. SXAU has also been approved 2 national standards, 3 industry standards, 358 local standards, and 58 State New Plant Variety Rights.

At present, there’re total 7 national scientific research platforms, including the National-Local Joint Engineering Research Laboratory for Dryland Water Saving Technology in Eastern Loess Plateau, the Ministry-Province co-foundering Collaborative Innovation Center for High-quality and Efficient Production of Characteristic Crops on The Loess Plateau and so forth.

There’re total 148 ministerial and provincial scientific research platforms (bases, qualifications), such as the provincial “1331 Project” innovation platform.

SXAU owns 25 R&D innovation teams on the level of the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and Shanxi Province.