Within the framework of the China-Africa Cooperation Forum (FOCAC), Hunan Province has opened a base for agricultural development and cooperation between China and Africa.
This structure is tasked with establishing and developing cross-border “soft power” cooperation in areas such as agricultural production technologies, agricultural management systems and agricultural standards.
The structure will also provide intellectual support and a decision-making measure to promote the high-quality development of agricultural economic and trade cooperation between China and Africa.
Established by the Faculty of Economics of Hunan Agricultural University and affiliated with the China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation Research Institute, the base focuses on advanced agricultural science and technology and the integration of domestic and foreign agricultural research resources.
The research focuses on advanced theories, China-Africa agricultural production technologies, agricultural management systems and international trade in agricultural products.
The base will establish a series of centers for information and data, technology development and cooperation, talent training, as well as innovation in the China-Africa agricultural sector, to establish a think tank that is leading in the country and internationally renowned.
In September 2018, at the opening ceremony of the FOCAC Summit in Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced that in the next three years, the focus will be on implementing the “eight key initiatives” defined for China-Africa cooperation: industrial sector promotion, infrastructure connectivity, trade promotion, green development, capacity building, health, people-to-people exchanges, as well as peace and security.
Xi Jinping also clarified that “China will support Africa in its efforts to essentially achieve food security by 2030, and will develop and implement with Africa an action program for modernization cooperation, implement 50 agricultural assistance projects, provide emergency food aid of one billion yuan to affected African countries, send 500 high-level agronomists to Africa, and train young researchers for Africa eminent agronomists and pioneering agricultural entrepreneurs.”
According to statistics, China has signed memoranda of understanding or cooperation protocols on agriculture with nearly 20 countries in Africa. During this period, China has built agricultural technology demonstration centers in about 20 countries on the continent.
In addition to structures, China has sent nearly 100 groups of experts to nearly 40 African countries and tested more than 300 crop varieties on the African continent. “China is working hand in hand with a large number of developing countries, including African countries, to address global food challenges and achieve the Millennium Development Goals set by the United Nations,” the agency wrote. release, Xinhua.
