B&R Initiative expands China-Africa agri-cooperation

Updated: July 28, 2017 Source: Belt and Road Portal
fontLarger fontSmaller

The Belt and Road Initiative provides opportunities for Africa-China agricultural cooperation, according to Frederick Musiiwa Makamure Shava, president of the United Nations Economic and Social Council, also ambassador and permanent representative of the Republic of Zimbabwe to the United Nations.

He made the comment in a recent interview with People's Daily.

In spite of the progress in reducing hunger around the world in past decades, there are still an estimated 795 million people suffering from lasting starvation.

According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, the world needs to increase its current grain output by more than 60 percent by 2025 to feed the Earth's 9 billion inhabitants by then.

Shava said Sub-Saharan Africa must increase its grain yield by a large margin in the coming decade so as to feed a rising population. This is a big challenge for African farmers facing the growing impact of climate change that has left large regions crippled by drought and the other serious natural disasters.

African farmers have been making strong efforts to increase grain output per acre to eight tons, even though the Chinese figure is 15-16 tons. African countries can take the Belt and Road Initiative as an opportunity to learn from China's experience and technology in this regard, he said.

The largest obstacle to agricultural development in Africa is the lack of infrastructures. However, Shava saw hope in two newly-finished projects: the Djibouti-Addis Ababa railway and the Mombasa-Nairobi railway, which should reduce transport costs and improve the shipment of African agricultural products to major markets.

The Durban-Zimbabwe railway will be connected with the new Tanzania-Zambia railway, which is expected to add new access to the sea for landlocked countries, he said.

Shava said 70 percent of Africa’sf population earn their living through agriculture, producing mainly primary commodities. Africa needs to develop processing and manufacturing industries related to agriculture to increase the added value of its output. 

China and Africa have great potential in cooperation on agricultural science and technology, as well as trade, which should be an important part of the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative in Africa, he noted. 

Editor: lishen