China, Africa join hands in promoting agricultural technology, farming skills

A group of African students are gaining cutting-edge agricultural knowledge and skills in north China's Hebei Province to transform farming practices back home.

This is part of the China-Africa Science and Technology Backyard Program was launched by China Agricultural University in Quzhou County of Hebei Province, five hours drive from Beijing, aiming to train young technical talent for African countries.

Ibrahim Naziru, a Nigerian pursuing a master's degree in agriculture, is one of the program participants. He finds the hands-on, practical approach to learning in China vastly different from the theory-heavy curriculum in Nigeria.

The program, operating since 2018, has already seen 70-80 African students graduated. Zhang Weifeng, director of the university's experimental station in Quzhou County, said the results have been impressive.

"This year, our students gave us very positive feedback. The yield of the corn they planted was three times that of the local farmers in their countries. The reason is simple. We have advanced agricultural production management approach and advanced technology. This program is completely non-profit, and even more so for Africa,” said Zhang.

"I'm working with my professor and I'm working on plastic film mulching. The first thing I would do is to promote the use of plastic films because we have the dry season and wet season. So once rain stops, then it is good. That is where you apply this plastic film. Once I show it to our farmers, I know they will take it and they will use it," said Naziru.

China's agricultural prowess is well-recognized globally, and African countries like Nigeria have much to learn. Naziru acknowledged his home country's challenges, from reliance on manual labor to inadequate seed varieties and limited access to modern farming tools and chemicals.

The China-Africa Science and Technology Backyard Program is bridging this gap, empowering the next generation of African agricultural innovators. By equipping students with practical skills and exposure to China's agricultural advancements, the program is poised to boost food security and economic prosperity across the African continent.

China, Africa join hands in promoting agricultural technology, farming skills

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, in an interview with China Media Group (CMG), elaborated on why he called his country "an insider on the outside" of the European Union (EU).

Store was speaking with the CMG on a high-speed train from Beijing to Shanghai on Tuesday, part of his three-day official visit to China.

"We've had two referendums about joining the European Union and both ended up 52 to 48 against and that we have to respect. But you know, most of our trade is with the European Union. So it's in my interest to have a good relationship, a trusted relationship, and in that sense, to be on the inside. And then, beyond this market, you know, these are our neighbors, Nordic neighbors - Sweden, Finland and Denmark. These are our European partners. So on a number of other issues linked to security and research and all the other issues beyond trade, these are our closest friends. So that's why I say, you know, I'm very much on the inside, although I'm a member from the outside," he said.

Norway, as a member state of the European Economic Area, was the EU's sixth most important partner for trade in goods in 2023, with exports to the bloc reaching 119.2 billion euros and imports amounting to 61.7 billion euros.

Norway is the biggest exporter of fish and aquaculture products to the EU.

Norwegian PM elaborates on partnership with EU