Transforming Agriculture in Africa

Sino-African Partnerships for Modernization

Executive Overview

Under the framework of the Forum on China–Africa Cooperation and the Belt and Road Initiative, Sino-African agricultural engagements have achieved remarkable advances that bolster food security and orient farms toward modern, market-driven practices. Since the launch of the inaugural triennial Vision 2035 action plan, over 500 Chinese agricultural experts have been deployed throughout Africa, while nearly 9,000 African professionals have been trained in advanced techniques.

Technology Transfer and Demonstration Sites

Hybrid Rice in Madagascar At Mahitsy, near Antananarivo, the High-Yield Hybrid Rice Demonstration Centre—established in 2007—now cultivates five improved strains that yield up to 7.5 tons per hectare, two to three times the local average. Spanning 90,000 hectares, hybrid rice production has not only secured national self-sufficiency but also generated substantial market surpluses for smallholder farmers.

Maize Intensification in Tanzania Since 2011, the “Small Technologies, Big Harvests” project, spearheaded by Beijing Agricultural University in the Morogoro Region, has successfully scaled maize yield–enhancing practices. What started as a pilot initiative has now expanded to more than ten villages and 1,000 households, effectively doubling local maize outputs.

Mushroom Cultivation in Rwanda Rwandan farmers have embraced China’s Juncao mushroom-growing method, originally developed for straw-based bed cultivation. Now, over 4,000 families have adopted this technology, bolstered by seventeen demonstration centres that extend their influence on more than 100 countries and create over 30,000 jobs globally.

Infrastructure Solutions and Field Innovations

Irrigation in Kenya In Siaya County, the Lower Nzoia Irrigation Project—executed by Sino-Hydro—has made significant strides in modernizing water management. By April 2024, the project had completed 111 km of main canals, 71 km of drains, and 736 km of field channels. Its initial phase will irrigate 4,000 hectares along the left bank of the Nzoia River, directly benefiting 12,600 farmers and reducing reliance on rainfall.

Agricultural Drones South Africa–based XAG has deployed pesticide-spraying drones over 2,250 hectares of sugarcane since 2020, replacing approximately 40 manual applicators with just three trained pilots. Equipped with real-time 3D mapping technology, these drones achieve precise coverage while minimizing chemical use—a model that has already expanded to rice paddies in Mozambique, wheat fields in Ethiopia, and market gardens in Ghana.

Strengthening Local Value Chains

Macadamia Processing in Kenya Murang’a County, Hunan Jianglai’s Kenyan subsidiary invested nearly 30 million CNY in 2023 to construct a state-of-the-art macadamia processing plant in Nairobi. Featuring advanced Chinese sorting and packaging lines, the facility aims to produce 6,000 tons annually and create 200 new jobs over the next five years. By offering farmers twice the prevailing farm-gate price, the venture incentivizes improved cultivation practices.

Goat Meat Industry in Madagascar formalize Madagascar’s burgeoning caprine sector, Sino-Malagasy Animal Husbandry inaugurated the country’s first goat-meat processing facility—built to stringent Chinese standards—in September 2023. With an annual capacity of 10,000 tons covering forage production, breeding, processing, and export, the facility shipped its first consignment of 900 kg to Hunan Province in September 2024, marking a significant milestone in value chain integration.

Challenges

By combining technology transfer, modern infrastructure, and integrated value chains, Sino-African agricultural cooperation is catalysing a transformation toward more resilient, productive, and market-oriented agriculture. Moving forward, efforts should concentrate on:

• Strengthening Local Innovation: Tailoring these technological and infrastructural models to better address climate change and demographic pressures.

• Ensuring Sustainable Growth: Expanding these partnerships to foster long-term, sustainable agricultural development that elevates living standards and ensures food security.

These initiatives not only promise to modernize farming practices and bolster economic growth but also to position Africa as a dynamic hub of agricultural innovation for generations to come.