MaLinagivesaclassatapoultrylabCOURTESYPHOTOSFor55-year-oldMaLina,thisyearwillmarkbothherreturnhomeandherofficialretirementfromherprofession.TheChineseanimalhusbandryandbreedingexpert,whohasspentthepastfiveyearsteachingattheHoletaAgriculturalTechnicalandVocationalEducationTraining(ATVET)CollegeinEthiopia,hasbeenasterlingagriculturalambassadorforChinainAfricaduringthistime.
HerfirsttriptoAfricadatesbackto2004,whenMawasdispatchedtoNigeriabythenMinistryofAgricultureofChinaandtheFoodandAgricultureOrganizationoftheUnitedNations,aspartofaSouth-Southagriculturalcooperationprogram.Oncethere,shewasquicktoforgeadeepfriendshipwithNigerians.
BackinherhometownofChengduinsouthwestChina鈥檚SichuanProvinceinearly2007,shebeganherworkofpigbreeding,butnevergaveupontheideaofreturningtoAfrica.Sevenyearslater,anewopportunityopenedup.WiththeongoingeconomicrestructuringinChina,livestockfarmingwasnolongerapillaroflocalagricultureinSichuan.MatookthisopportunitytogobacktotheAfricancontinentinlate2013.
Despitetheinevitablediscomfortsofeverydaylifeinaforeignland,Masaidshehasneverregrettedherdecision.鈥淲henIseethethirstforknowledgeintheeyesofmystudents,Ifeeltheheavyweightofresponsibilityonmyshoulders.SoIgiveeverythingIhaveinthehopeofhelpingthempasstheCOC(CenterofCompetenceTest)assessmentandintroducethemtomodernbreedingtechniquesfromChina,鈥漵hetoldChinAfrica.
Buthereffortsarenotlimitedtotraining.AsoneofthefirstChineseinstructorssenttoHoletaATVETCollege,sheisresponsiblefortheintroductionanddemonstrationofnewtechniquesnotonlytoteachersandstudentsinhercollege,butalsotofarmersinneighboringvillages.
Crossbreeding
ChickenfarmingisanimportanteconomicactivityintheOromiaRegionofEthiopiawhereMawasbased.However,localchickenbreedsaresmallandslower-growing.Inaddition,theydonotproducealotofmeat.Seeingthis,MawasremindedofatechniqueinChina,wherefarmerscrosslocalroosterbreedswithchosenhenstoproducehybridchickens.ThistechniqueisalreadywidespreadinruralareasinChina,andwithgoodreason.Comparedtootherbreeds,thesehybridhenshavemoremeatandgrowfaster,andareusuallyreadyforslaughterafter110days.Itisnosurprisethattheyoftenenjoyahighersellingpriceonthemarket,andthereforearebecomingincreasinglypopularamongChinesefarmers.
Convincedofitseffectiveness,Marepeatedlysuggestedthistechniquetocollegemanagement,buttonoavail.Infact,becauseoftightbudgetrestraints,thecollegewasreluctanttoacceptherproposal-thecostoffeedingthechickensalonecouldamounttomorethan20,000EthiopianBirrs($740).
Toaddresstheirconcerns,Mamodifiedherproject,minimizingpotentialexpenses.Thenewplanwasacceptedandimplementedin2017.Attheendofthetrialperiod,100hybridhenswerebred.Althoughthistechniqueisfarfrombeingarecentdiscovery,itisthefirsttimeitwasusedinOromiaRegion.
MergaNagassa,DeanofHoletaATVETCollege,saidChineseagriculturalinstructorsactedasdriversofchangeinthecountry.鈥淚fthesedemonstrationprojectsofagriculturaltechniquescanbeimplemented,notonlywillthequalityoftheteachinginthecollegeimprove,butlocalfarmerswillalsobenefit,鈥漢esaid.
Renovatingthehencoop
MaLinatrainslocaltechniciansandfarmersFixingthechickencoop
Aftertakingcareofthehens,Maturnedherattentiontowheretheywerehatching:thecollege鈥檚chickencoop,whichwasbuiltmorethan10yearsago.Withanoldroofmadeofrustyironsheets,rainleakswereamajorproblem.Inaddition,itwascommonforratstosneakinsidethecoopandattackchickens.Thisledtoaspikeindiseasetransmissioninthehenhouse,hinderingbreedingefforts.Asaresultoftheseproblems,thechickencoopwasabandonedaroundfiveyearsago.
Asthecollegedidnothaveenoughmoneytobuildanewone,Maproposedtofixtheoldchickencoop.
Followingherproposal,anddespiteitsfinancialconstraints,thecollegesparednoefforttoraisefundsinordertorefurbishthechickencoop.AtthebeginningofMarch,thehenhouserestorationwork,whichbecameoneoftheeightdemonstrationprojectsoftheChineseagriculturalmissionforthisyear,wascompleted.
Itincludedchangingthedoor,windowsandroof,andalsobuildinganewwallandaddingfacilitiessuchasroostsandnestboxesforlayinghens.
Ma鈥檚workwasrecognizedasbeingthe鈥渇irstclass.鈥滻naletterofthankssentinearlyJulytoHanChangfu,ChineseMinisterofAgricultureandRuralAffairs,hisEthiopiancounterpartEyasuAbrahahighlypraisedtheperformanceoftheChinesemissionandofMainparticular.
鈥淎vailingChineseagriculturalseniorexpertstosharetheirexperienceandexpertisewithEthiopianinstructorshasplayedapivotalroleinhelpingthemwithbasicknowledge,skillsandattitudesthatinevitablymakethemsuccessfulintheirprofessionalcareer,鈥漺rotetheminister.
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