2nd FOCAC in Agriculture reaches practical cooperation outcomes

The second Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Agriculture is being held in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province from November 13 to 15. The forum discussed means of assisting African countries to realize agricultural modernization so as to achieve independent and sustainable development.

Chinese Agriculture Minister Tang Renjian said that since the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) was proposed ten years ago, China has signed 34 agricultural cooperation documents with 19 African countries and organizations.

China has built 24 agricultural technology demonstration centers in Africa, benefiting more than a million small farmers in African countries. This year, China-Africa agricultural trade is expected to exceed $10 billion, said Tang.

Liu Xiaoming, governor of Hainan Province, expressed his hope to amplify the preferential tariff effect of the Hainan Free Trade Port, cultivate the complete industrial chain of key agricultural products jointly, and build a broader network of trading partners for tropical agricultural products within the framework of the BRI and FOCAC.

Samba Ndiobena Ka, minister of Agriculture and Rural Equipment of Senegal, the African co-chair of FOCAC, hoped that China will increase investment in agricultural machinery and other infrastructure on the African continent.

In the coming years, China is going to help African countries to realize agricultural modernization, according to the plan released at the forum.

China will deepen the alignment of agricultural development strategies and policy consultations, and strive to achieve full coverage of bilateral agricultural cooperation mechanisms.

China will increase agricultural technology cooperation and help increase grain production. More joint laboratories and research centers will also be built.

In the next three years, China will train another 1,000 agricultural science and technology and management personnel for Africa.

Additionally, China will continue to dispatch agricultural technical experts to African countries, helping to promote China's successful experience with poverty reduction.