African delegates finish training on perennial rice in China

Thirty agricultural officials and experts from Nigeria, Ethiopia, Kenya, Egypt, Gambia and Cameroon participated in the 2025 Seminar on Perennial Rice Technology in China from May 15 to May 28. 

Hosted by China's Ministry of Commerce and partially organized by BGI Group, China's leading life science and genomics company, the two-week program covered sustainable rice cultivation, including perennial rice – a crop yielding multiple harvests from one planting.

"I came with an empty bag, but I'm going back with a full bag of information, full bag of knowledge," said Willis Abwao Adero, senior research scientist at Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization. 

"We learned a lot, not only about rice, (but also) perennial rice production, that with the full-cycle management," said Allo Amen Dido, senior researcher and plant biotechnology directorate director from Bio and Emerging Technology Institute, Ethiopia.

Country-specific discussions addressed local adaptation strategies: Nigeria explored streamlined planting methods to address agricultural transformation; Ethiopia proposed integrating wild rice genes with genomic tools for high-altitude varieties; Kenya outlined plans for pilot trials with the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization; Egypt emphasized the need for salt-tolerant rice to address saline-alkali soils. All delegates agreed that long-term partnerships between African and Chinese research institutions, along with ongoing technical support, are critical to enhance development.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). As Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning stated, China-Africa relations have achieved leapfrog development and have entered their best period in history.

The initiative aligns with China-Africa cooperation under the FOCAC, promoting agricultural modernization. As a life science enterprise, the BGI group says it will strengthen partnerships and share sustainable farming practices with Africa.