The African Union (AU) Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) has expressed enthusiasm over China's recent commitment to support Africa's agricultural sector and address climate change impacts. At the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Beijing last week, China announced plans to expand its collaboration with Africa by implementing ten partnership actions over the next three years.
In the realm of agriculture, China's initiatives include the construction of standardized agricultural demonstration centers, the deployment of Chinese agricultural experts, and the establishment of a China-Africa agricultural scientific and technological innovation alliance. These efforts aim to enhance agricultural productivity and sustainability across the continent.
Mamadou Biteye, executive secretary of the Harare-based ACBF, highlighted the significant benefits Africa stands to gain from China's expertise and innovative approaches. \"China is a very important partner to Africa especially as we come out of the FOCAC Summit and some important announcements have been made. This includes capacity building through the deployment of Chinese experts to support agriculture productivity in Africa,\" Biteye stated.
He emphasized that China's support extends beyond agriculture, contributing to Africa's infrastructure development, particularly in building climate-resilient systems crucial for modernization and combating climate change. \"China can share its experiences in agricultural development, including research on developing new varieties of crops, such as drought-resistant rice and other food crops, which can adapt well and provide high yields to support the growth of Africa's agriculture sector,\" Biteye added.
Furthermore, increased Chinese support in agriculture is expected to help Africa reduce its food import bill and move towards food sovereignty. \"Innovation and knowledge sharing are extremely important, and I believe these are critical areas where China can play a leading role in Africa,\" Biteye concluded.
The ACBF is set to host its 10th Africa Think Tank Summit from October 8 to 11 in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. The summit will focus on strategies for sustainable climate financing in Africa, addressing the need for institutional and policy strengthening to effectively utilize climate financing resources.
Reference(s):
AU agency welcomes China's support for African agricultural industry
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