China explores new avenues of agricultural cooperation with Africa in order to help the continent achieve its Agenda 2063 goals
At the China-Africa Leaders’ Dialogue held in Johannesburg, Chinese President Xi Jinping said China will launch the Plan for China Supporting Africa’s Agricultural Modernization, adding that China will help Africa expand grain planting and encourage Chinese companies to increase agricultural investment in Africa.
The plan aims to help Africa achieve food self-sufficiency and independent sustainable development, promote food production in Africa, effectively boost Africa’s ability to safeguard its food security, and help it reach related goals in agricultural modernization.
China is ready to further explore new pathways of agricultural cooperation with Africa, and work with the international community to help Africa achieve the goals set out in the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Program to develop modern agriculture, the Foreign Ministry added.
Furthermore, China plans to broaden mutually beneficial partnerships with scientists, higher education institutions, government research institutes, and governments in Africa, by sharing knowledge and extensive experience in agricultural transformation.
Since the implementation of the China-FAO-Uganda South-South Cooperation Project in 2012, the Chinese expert team has introduced hybrid rice into the region to further promote the rice industry, and it continues to promote new crop varieties such as foxtail millet and sorghum from China.
The impressive rural transformation and agricultural modernization in China, which involved the utilization of precision agriculture and the implementation of lean and digital technologies, has resulted in the lifting of millions from absolute poverty.
China has the potential to enhance the abilities of both our farmers and students in cutting-edge technologies, and broaden beneficial partnerships with scientists, higher education institutions, government research institutes, and governments in Africa, by sharing knowledge and extensive experience in agricultural transformation.