In recent years, China has been actively fulfilling its international obligations. Among developing countries, it has contributed the most funds and experts to South-South cooperation led by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, with the most remarkable results achieved. As an important leading force, promoter, and contributor in regard of South-South cooperation, China has provided Chinese insight, input, and strength to solve the major problem of food shortages facing mankind.

China’s concrete contributions

In Madagascar, Chinese agricultural experts have helped introduce high-yield hybrid rice varieties, improved the breeding of local small ruminants, and increased the yields of related feed crops. Moreover, nearly 30 technical training sessions and on-site demonstrations have been organized to guide local farmers in hybrid rice planting, farm planning, and farmland management, increasing the local rice yield from 2.8 to 10.28 tons per hectare.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, China has provided important agricultural information to support small farmers and improved the service level of rural e-commerce in Zambia, thus settling problems like information asymmetry between farmers and businesses.

The South-South cooperation advanced by China has effectively enhanced the agricultural production capacity and food security level of host countries, and promoted the development of their agricultural value chains and the organic connection between small farmers and the market, said Li Xiande, a research fellow from the Institute of Agricultural Economics and Development at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences.

Financial support, technical assistance, and experience sharing are the three concrete contributions China has made to South-South cooperation in agriculture, Li added.

Praising the achievements of the China-Madagascar project, Fanomezantsoa Lucien Ranarivelo, Madagascar’s Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, and Fisheries, said that amid difficulties in food import facing many countries during the COVID-19 pandemic, China’s hybrid rice technology has helped Madagascar alleviate food security problems.

Regarding institutional construction of South-South agricultural cooperation, Lin Faqin, a professor from the College of Economics and Management at China Agricultural University, summarized that China has gradually established a system with Africa centered on supporting food security in the continent, a system focusing on mutual learning with Latin America, a Lancang-Mekong mechanism with regional integration at the core, and a platform prioritizing strategic balance with Central Asia.

Promoting new models

In terms of South-South agricultural cooperation, China has both “given a man a fish” and “taught a man to fish.” In Uganda, Chinese agricultural experts have extended the local agricultural value chain through processing demonstration projects of farming and animal husbandry, involving products like sweet potato flour and beef jerky. Through guidance on fish farming in paddy fields, Chinese-model biogas, circular agriculture, and leisure agriculture, a new agricultural model has been initiated in the African country.

Furthermore, a China-Uganda agricultural cooperation industrial park has been built under the “company + farmer” model. The industrial park provides local farmers with improved seeds, agricultural capital, and free technical services, and purchases agricultural products as contracted, building a bridge linking small farmers and markets.

With regard to promoting new agricultural models, China has made innovative contributions. Lin noted that Chinese experts pay visits to households in villages, carrying out front-line training on production technologies concerning grains, vegetables, fruits, aquatic products, and animal husbandry through experiments and demonstrations, field activities, and hands-on instructions.

The promotion of comprehensive technologies related to agricultural machinery, household biogas, business models, and value chain development has significantly improved the agricultural production efficiency of host countries and the living standards of their farmers, Li said.

Through the Training of Trainers, senior officials and experts from host countries visit China to observe China’s agricultural achievements and boost the host countries’ confidence in learning China’s poverty reduction programs and production technologies.

Also, a cooperation model of one Chinese province partnering with a particular host country has been launched. In specific projects, a Chinese province is paired with a host country with similar agricultural production conditions to maintain the projects’ continuity and stability.

In addition, an “expert + enterprise” cooperation model is adopted to facilitate economic and trade cooperation and achieve mutual benefits. Playing a principal role, the enterprises invest in building an effective cooperation platform, gradually transforming the relationship from one of assistance to one of partnership.