China Agriculture View

China has agreed to transfer her agricultural technology to Africa to enable the continent boost production and thereby guarantee world food.

The Beijing declaration for the massive agricultural technology transfer came as the China-Africa Agricultural Forum, in which Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka represented Kenya, drew to a close today.

The declaration called for a leap in Africa’s agricultural output by transforming its rural agriculture through infusion of Chinese agricultural characteristics.

This will involve rural farmer education, setting up of modern farming demonstration centres, use of better quality seeds, and new technology in appropriate farming machinery as well as soil improvement techniques.

Kenya’s Vice President said the 21st century belonged to Africa and he was confident that the continent will transform her economies to the extent of helping feed the rest of the world.

Reading the declaration, the China’s deputy Prime Minister Mr Hui Liangyu said global food security should be the Number One priority of world governments, given that acute food shortages were bound to lead to food crisis hence social and political instability.

“China is the largest developing economy able to feed 20 per cent of the world’s population on proceeds of 9 per cent of the planets arable land. If we partner with Africa with a much higher percentage of arable land yet contains most of the developing countries we should be able to guarantee international food security,” he said.

He added that whereas China has the technological advantage, Africa was blessed with arable land and a better climate.

Later, Mr Musyoka met with leaders of major Chinese firms doing business in the African continent. In his meeting with the Chairman of the board of Sino Hydro a major player in the power generation and dam and roads construction, the Vice President said modernisation of Kenya’s infrastructure was a key objective in the realisation of Vision 2030.

He urged them to seek to be involved in Kenya’s reconstruction efforts.

Board chairman Huang Baodong said his firm has operations in 24 African countries including Kenya where they are involved on the Thika Road superhighway project among others adding that his firm was driven by the objective of quality service within set timelines.

Mr Musyoka also held discussions with officials of China roads and bridges co-operations.