FarmersharvestriceattheWanbaoFarm,establishedwithinvestmentfromtheChina-AfricaDevelopmentFund,inGazaProvince,Mozambique,onApril4XINHUAAgricultureisakeyareainChina-Africacooperationandcanbenefitbothsides.SincethefirstsummitoftheForumonChina-AfricaCooperation(FOCAC)inBeijingin2006,ChinaandAfricancountrieshavebeenpromotingagriculturalcooperation.ThankstotheeffortsofChineseandAfricanleaders,greaterachievementshavebeenmadeinthiscooperationoverthepastfewyearsbyimplementingChinesePresidentXiJinping’sinitiativetocreateaChina-Africacommunitywithasharedfuture.ThishaselevatedChina-Africaagriculturalcooperationtoanewhistoriclevel.Wewilltaketheopportunityofthisyear’sFOCACBeijingSummittodeepenbilateralcollaborationinallareasandimprovedevelopmentquality.Overthepast12years,ChinaandAfricancountrieshavemadeoutstandingachievementsinadvancingagriculturalcooperationonamutuallybeneficialandwin-winbasis.
Mutualbenefits
TheChineseGovernmenthasbeenworkingwithadministrationsofAfricancountriesundertheprinciplesofsincerity,realresults,affinityandgoodfaith,andfollowingtheapproachofupholdingjusticeandpursuingsharedinterests.BothsideshaveimplementedtheoutcomesrelatedtoagriculturalcooperationmadeatsuccessiveFOCACsummitsinacomprehensivemannerandlaunchedexchangesandcooperationinallareas,includingpolicy,technology,personneltraining,tradeandinvestment.ByacceleratingAfrica’sagriculturalmodernization,ensuringitsfoodsecurityandincreasingagriculturalproductvarietiesonthemarket,sucheffortsareessentialtoexpandingthespaceforagriculturaldevelopmentinChinaandAfricaandrealizingmutuallybeneficialcooperationwithwin-winresults.
ChineseandAfricangovernmentshavestrengthenedpolicyconsultationonagriculturalcooperation,withafocusonexchangesconcerningChina’sexperienceandpracticesinagriculturalandruraldevelopmentandpovertyreduction.Inmultilateralterms,ChinacreatesplatformsforagriculturalpolicyconsultationwithAfricancountriesbyregularlyholdingmeetingsandinvitingagriculturalofficials,expertsandscholarsfrombothsidestosharetheirdevelopmentconceptsandpracticalexperience.TheeffortsfacilitatethealignmentofChina’sfive-yearplansforruraleconomicandsocialdevelopmentandagriculturalmodernizationplanswithAfrica’scomprehensiveagriculturaldevelopmentplans.TheyalsoenableChinaandAfricancountriestolearnfromeachother.Inbilateralterms,Chinahassignedmemorandaofunderstandingorprotocolswith16Africancountries,coveringvariousfieldssuchastheseedindustry,animalhusbandryandagriculturalmachinery.Chinahasalsoestablishedagriculturalcooperationcommissionsorworkinggroupswiththesecountriestolaunchagriculturalpolicyexchangesofvariouskindsandsynergizetheiragriculturaldevelopmentstrategies,layingasolidinstitutionalfoundationforwin-winagriculturalcooperation.
ChinaattachesgreatimportanceonactivelypromotingagriculturaltechnologyexchangeswithAfricancountries.Todate,ithasestablished20agriculturaltechnologydemonstrationcentersin19AfricancountriestoshowcaseChina’sadvancedagriculturalproductsandtechnologies,buildplatformsformultilateralandbilateraltechnologicalcooperationandexploremarket-orientedandcommerciallysustainableoperations.Chinahasdispatched724agriculturalexperts,vocationaleducationteachersandhigh-levelconsultantsin71groupsto37Africancountriestopassontheirfarmingmanagementexpertiseandhelplocalfarmersimprovetheircomprehensivecapacityinagriculturalproduction.Basedonthe“10+10”partnershipplanbetweenChineseandAfricanagriculturalresearchinstitutes,jointstudiesandresearchhavebeenlaunchedaroundnewproducts,technologiesandequipmentsuitableforAfrica’sconditions.Sofar,Chinahaslaunchedtrialgrowingofmorethan300agriculturalproductsinvariousAfricancountriesandpassedonmorethan500practicaltechnologiestothem,benefitingabout1millionfarminghouseholdsandprovidingimportantscientificandtechnologicalsupportandservicestoAfrica’sagriculturaldevelopment.
Thankstotheirjointefforts,ChinaandAfricancountrieshavewitnessedrapidgrowthinagriculturalinvestmentandtradeinagriculturalproducts.In2017,China-Africatradeinagriculturalproductsexceeded$6billion,up185.3percentover2006.Ofthisamount,Chinaimported$2.94billionworthofagriculturalproductsfromAfricasuchasoilseeds,cottonandlinenfibersandbeverages,anincreaseof143percent.ThesoundtradingrelationshiphascreatedfavorableconditionsforChineseenterprisestoinvestinAfrica.Bytheendof2017,Chineseenterpriseshadinvestedin117agriculturalprojects,eachwithmorethan5millionyuan($732,000)ofinvestmentinAfrica,coveringmorethantwothirdsofthecountriesonthecontinentwiththeinvestmentstocktotaling14.83billionyuan($2.17billion).Theprojectscoveredareassuchascropfarming,agriculturalproduceprocessingandfisheries.SoundandsustaineddevelopmentofeconomicandtradingcooperationinagriculturehasincreasedthesupplyofagriculturalproductsinbothChineseandAfricanmarkets,andpromotedoptimizationofagriculturalproductioncapacityandtransformationandupgradingofthefarmingsectorinAfrica.
Since2006,agriculturalpersonnelexchangesbetweenChinaandAfricancountrieshavebecomeextensive.Chinahaslaunched337trainingprogramsinvolvingmorethan57,000agriculturalofficials,techniciansandvocationaleducationstudentsfromAfricancountries.TheseprogramshavehelpedcreatealargetalentpoolforAfrica’sagriculturaldevelopmentandfosterednumerousfriendshipenvoys,greatlyenhancingmutualunderstandingandthetraditionalfriendlyrelationshipbetweenChineseandAfricanpeoples,thusconsolidatingthepublicsupportforcooperationinagriculture.ChinasignedaletterofintentonSouth-SouthcooperationwiththeUNFoodandAgricultureOrganization(FAO)in2006,becomingthefirstcountrytoestablishaSouth-Southcooperationstrategicalliancewiththeorganization.ItalsoestablishedatrustfundtosupportSouthSouthcooperationinagriculture.Sincethefundwentintoeffectin2008,ChinahasbeencooperatingwithFAOtolaunchtripartiteSouth-SouthcooperationprojectsinAfricaandhasheldagriculturaltechnologydemonstrationactivitiesthroughmorethan60projectsonthecontinent,gainingrecognitionfromAfricangovernmentsandpeoplesandwinningwidepraisefromtheinternationalcommunity.TheFAOdirectorgeneralhasonmanyoccasionsspokenhighlyofChina’sleadingroleinSouth-Southcooperationinagriculture.
Broadprospects
Throughdecadesofdevelopment,Chinahasbeenconstantlyimprovingthequalityandbenefitofagriculturaldevelopmentwithdistinctivefeaturesandoutstandingadvantagesinaspectssuchasresourceconditions,marketdemandsandscientificandtechnologicalinformation.Africancountries,withurgentneedofcooperation,haveveryhighexpectationsofsharingChina’sachievementsandexperienceinagriculturaldevelopment.
ThepotentialishugeforChinaandAfricatojointlycopewiththeglobalfoodcrisesandensurefoodsecurity,amajorglobalconcernthatunderlinestheneedforChinaandAfricancountriestodevelopagriculture.Currently,agriculturaldevelopmentworldwidefacesacuteproblemssuchasfrequentclimatedisasters,aggravatingresourceconstraintsandescalatingmarketfluctuations.SomeAfricancountriesarefrequentlystrickenbyfoodcrises.EnhancingtheoverallfoodproductioncapacityandincreasingfoodsupplyremainatthetopofAfricancountries’agendas.AgriculturalresourcesarescarceinChina,theworld’smostpopulouscountry.TheChineseGovernmentattachesgreatimportancetofoodsecurityandhasalwaysgiventopprioritytofeedingmorethan1.3billionpeopleinthecountrywithadequatefood.ChineseagronomistsLiuLianjin(thirdright)andZhangYong(left)onanAfrica-aidmissioninCoted'IvoireCHENCHEN
Inrecentyears,especiallysincethe18thNationalCongressoftheCommunistPartyofChinain2012,Chinahasimplementedastrategythatcallsforimprovingtheusageofcultivatedlandandmakingbetteruseoftechnologyingrainproductiontoachievehigheryieldsandhasadoptedmorepro-agriculturalpolicies.Theenthusiasmofgovernmentsatvariouslevelstoprioritizeagricultureandgrainproductionandthatoffarmersengagedingrainproductionareimportantpartsofthisprocess.China’sgrainoutputhasexceeded600billionkgforfiveyearsinarow.Chinahasfedmorethan20percentoftheworld’spopulationwithlessthan10percentofitsfarmlandandaround6.5percentofitsfreshwaterresources,makingasignificantcontributiontoglobalfoodsecurityandofferingapointofreferenceforAfrica.WhilecollaboratingwithAfricancountries,Chinawillcontinuetogiveprominencetohelpingimprovetheiroverallgrainproductioncapacity.ItstandsreadytojoinhandswithAfricancountriestoreducehungerandmalnutritionandensurefoodsecurity.
ThepotentialishugeforChinaandAfricatojointlypopularizenewagriculturalvarieties,technologyandequipmentandboostagriculturalinnovation.Improvedvarieties,advancedtechnologyandstate-ofthe-artequipmentarefeaturesofagriculturalmodernization.Sincereformandopeningupbegan40yearsago,Chinahasreliedoninnovationasthedrivingforceforagriculturalmodernization.Ithastakenarangeofmeasurestopromoteinnovationbasedonimportedtechnologyandindigenousresearchresults.Inthisprocess,ithasaccumulatedextensiveexperienceintheinnovationandapplicationoftechnologies.Today,almostallthemaincropsinChinausehigh-qualityseeds.
Theoverallmechanizationrateinplowing,sowingandharvestinginChinahasexceeded66percent.Technologicaladvancementcontributes57.5percenttothecountry’sagriculturaloutputgrowth.Chinahasmadebreakthroughsincoretechnologiessuchashybridriceandcornandgeneticallymodifiedinsect-resistantcotton.Ithasdevelopedmorethan150highlyeffectivepesticideswithlowremnantsandtoxicity.Withtheseachievements,ChinaisabletoprovidediverseservicesforagriculturalplayersofvarioustypesandsizesinAfrica.TheyalsopavethewayforChinaandAfricatocarryoutjointresearchonagriculturalvarieties,technologyandequipment,introducenewmodelsfortheirapplication,andstepupimprovementsinthequalityandefficiencyofagricultureandthetransformationofthissector.
ThepotentialishugeforChinaandAfricatojointlytapintotheirmarketsandresourcesandadvanceagriculturaltradeandinvestment.Chinahasbecometheworld’slargestconsumerofagriculturalproductsandamajorsourceofoutbounddirectagriculturalinvestment.Thecountryisimplementingaruralvitalizationstrategy,forgingaheadwithsupply-sidestructuralreformintheagriculturalsectorandpursuinghigh-qualitydevelopmentinagriculture,stepsthatwillunleashnewopportunitiesforagriculturalcooperationwithothercountries.WiththemorediscerningfooddemandsofChina’spopulation,thereisarapidlygrowingneedforhigh-qualityandsafeagriculturalproducts.
Chinaissettoimportmoreagriculturalproducts,providingaprospectivemarketforAfricancountries.Inrecentyears,agriculturehasexhibitedremarkablesignsofgrowthinAfricawithanenormousdemandforinvestment.TradeandinvestmentcooperationbetweenChinaandAfricacannotonlygiveChineseinvestorsaccesstoahotbedofinvestment,butalsohelpraisefarmers’incomesinagriculturalproduce-exportingcountriesandinvestmentrecipientcountries.Africancountries’advantagesinagriculturalresourceswillthereforebeaboostforproductioncapacityanddevelopment.
Actionforanewera
Xi’sproposalonbuildingacommunitywithasharedfutureformankindisgainingtractionintheinternationalcommunity.TheChina-proposedBeltandRoadInitiativeisalsoreceivingpositiveresponsesfromanincreasingnumberofcountries.ThecomprehensivestrategicpartnershipbetweenChinaandAfricaisatahistorichigh.Inthiscontext,theMinistryofAgricultureandRuralAffairs,inkeepingwiththeprinciplesofsincerity,realresults,affinityandgoodfaith,aswellaswin-wincooperation,willworktoimplementagriculture-relatedmeasuresadoptedattheFOCACBeijingSummit,togetherwithotheragenciesconcerned.Itwillstrengthenguidance,createnewmodelsofcooperationandfocusoncooperationattheprimarylevelsothattheoutcomescancontributetothedevelopmentofagricultureandruralareasinChinaandAfricaandbenefithundredsofmillionsoffarmers.
ChinawilldeviseaplanoncooperationinagriculturalmodernizationwithAfricancountriesbyaligningtheBeltandRoadInitiative,theUN2030AgendaforSustainableDevelopment,theAfricanUnion(AU)Agenda2063andthedevelopmentstrategiesofindividualAfricancountries.TheplanwillestablishaframeworkforChina-Africaagriculturalcooperationinthenextphasebyspecifyingpriorityareas,tasksandprojectsaswellasapproaches.
ChinawillworkmorecloselywiththeAUtopushfortheestablishmentofaChina-AUagriculturalcooperationcommission.TheChina-AfricaAgriculturalCooperationForumwillbeheldregularlytoofferaplatformforbuildingconsensus,conductingpolicyexchanges,sharingexperiencesandpromotingeconomicandtraderelations.Chinawillbeactiveinputtingsigneddocumentsonbilateralagriculturalcooperationintopractice.Itwillmakefulluseofbilateralagriculturalcooperationcommissionsorworkinggroupstobringaboutall-roundprogress.
Chinawillintegrateandgivefullplaytotherolesofinitiativessuchasthe“10+10”partnershipplanbetweenChineseandAfricanagriculturalresearchinstitutes,China-aidedagriculturaltechnologydemonstrationcenters,ChineseagriculturalexpertsonassistancemissionstoAfricaandtrainingathomeandabroad.Itwillredoubleitseffortstojointlydevelopagriculturaltechnologyandhumanresources.ItwillalsoavailitselfofopportunitiespresentedbySouth-SouthandtripartitecooperationtopresentChina’sexperience,solutionsandpracticestoAfricancountriestohelpthemenhancetheircapacityforself-reliantdevelopmentintheagriculturalsector.
ChinawillmakeagriculturalcooperationdemonstrationzonesinAfricamoreproductivebyimprovinginfrastructuresuchasroadsandirrigationfacilities.CompetentandcredibleChineseandAfricancompanieswillbeencouragedtoestablishapresenceinthesezonesforagriculturalproduction,processing,warehousingandlogistics,whichareexpectedtosetanexampleforotherareas.Chinawillhelptraintechnology-andmarket-savvypersonnelwithmanagerialexpertisepoisedtoplayaleadingroleinbringingprosperitytoruralareasinAfrica.ItwillpromotethesoundandsustaineddevelopmentofChina-Africaagriculturalinvestmentcooperationandtradeinagriculturalproducts,generatingmoreemploymentopportunitiesandhigherincomesforlocalfarmers.
**TheauthoristheministerofagricultureandruralaffairsofChina
**Commentsto
Sincereformandopeningupbegan40yearsago,Chinahasreliedoninnovationasthedrivingforceforagriculturalmodernization.Ithastakenarangeofmeasurestopromoteinnovationbasedonimportedtechnologyandindigenousresearchresults.
Overthepast12years,ChinaandAfricancountrieshavemadeoutstandingachievementsinadvancingagriculturalcooperationonamutuallybeneficialandwin-winbasis.
ChineseandAfricangovernmentshavestrengthenedpolicyconsultationonagriculturalcooperation,withafocusonexchangesconcerningChina’sexperienceandpracticesinagriculturalandruraldevelopmentandpovertyreduction.