October 16th is World Food Day. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations determined the theme of the 2020 global event as "Growing Together, Prospering Together, Sustaining Together, Action Creates the Future". The 17th is the International Day for the Elimination of Poverty. The United Nations announced this year's theme as "Joint Action to Realize Social and Environmental Justice for All".

  The themes of the two memorial days both contain the word "action", and "action" has become the common theme of the international community to fight hunger and poverty this year. Under the impact of the new crown epidemic, Africa's food security and poverty reduction are seriously threatened. As Africa's all-weather good friend and good partner, China is taking concrete actions to promote the development of Africa's agriculture, improve local food security, and help the development of poverty reduction in Africa.

  Show the true feelings of helping the poor

  In 2020, in addition to the new crown epidemic, many countries in Africa are also plagued by locust plagues. Locust gnaws on the crops in the fields and also gnaws on the hope of the African people to improve people's livelihood.

  In June of this year, the Chinese government donated locust control materials to Uganda and other countries. In addition to pesticides and sprayers, China also intimately prepared protective clothing, protective masks and gloves for African brothers.

  The aid from China that sent charcoal in a desperate need made Uganda’s Minister of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Vincent Bamulangaki Sempija very excited: “These materials will greatly help the Ugandan people’s food security.”

  Affected by extreme weather such as drought and other factors, the entire southern African region has suffered severe agricultural harvests since 2019, and the output of corn, the staple food, is only 50% to 60% of normal years. In September last year, the United Nations World Food Program and China signed an agreement to provide emergency food assistance to three southern African countries in Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Namibia to help these countries solve the food shortage problem.

  "Zimbabwe is facing the worst food crisis in more than a decade. China has provided food aid to nearly 250,000 people in Zimbabwe through the World Food Program, which can meet their daily food needs before the next rainy season." The World Food Program is socializing. The media praised the Chinese partner who has done what he said.

  In recent years, China has also strengthened cooperation with multilateral agencies, bilateral agencies and the private sector to jointly provide support for the development of agriculture in Africa. China will set up a US$50 million third China-United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization South-South Cooperation Trust Fund to support developing countries, including African countries, to implement agricultural and rural development projects.

  Dedicated to teach "get rich"

  Hunger and poverty are problems that have long plagued the development of Africa. United Nations data shows that 250 million people in Africa still have no food to eat. Even more serious is that in 2020, the economic recession triggered by the new crown epidemic may increase the number of hungry people in Africa.

  Over the years, China has sent teams of agricultural technology experts to African countries, established agricultural technology demonstration centers in the local areas, taught African farmers and agricultural technicians agricultural management experience, and guided them to improve comprehensive agricultural production capacity. China has also trained a large number of agricultural management personnel and technical personnel officials for African countries, and held training courses on agricultural technology locally.

  Taking the China-Mozambique Agricultural Technology Demonstration Center as an example, China helped Mozambique experiment with more than 80 varieties of rice, corn, cotton, soybeans, and sesame, and selected rice "Guangdong Nongsi Miao", corn "Shangri-La", and cotton. "Ezamian No. 26" and other fine varieties have trained more than 3,000 local farmers.

  Located in Saisai City, the capital of Gaza Province, Mozambique, the "China-Africa Saisai Agricultural Cooperative Project (formerly Wanbao Mosang Agricultural Park Project)" promotes surrounding farmers to develop land and grow rice through cooperative planting.

  "Wanbao provides us with agricultural machinery and seeds, and teaches us the techniques of levelling the land, caring for crops, and controlling pests." Joanna Muyanga, 55, is a cooperative grower of the Sino-African Saisai Agricultural Cooperation Project and has joined the cooperation since 2015. Planting projects, talking about my own harvest, I am happy.

  "Before joining the cooperative planting project, my family planted some beans and corn on one hectare of land, and it was only enough for my own food. Now I participate in the cooperative planting project with China and I have made money and can afford my grandson to go to school. I can buy better food and clothes for my family. I have added a refrigerator and gas stove to my house. I never thought about these before."

  Christopher Capembowa, an expert at the Zambian Agricultural Research Institute, said that more Chinese investors are welcome to invest in agriculture. This will not only help African countries increase crop production and increase the income of small farmers, but also help increase local income.

  Gain new opportunities for development

  Learning Chinese technology and experience from the agricultural cooperation projects provided by China and finding new opportunities to change their destiny and achieve personal development are the goals that many Africans are striving for now.

  Emmanuel Ahimana, a 34-year-old Rwandan, was originally a mechanic in a sugar factory. Since 2008, he has worked as a Chinese agricultural expert in Rwanda. Under the guidance of Chinese experts, he mastered Juncao planting technology. Being optimistic about the benefits of Juncao, Ashmana used his savings to establish a Juncao production company in 2016.

  Patrick Kalangwa, director of the Rwanda Agriculture Council, said that Rwanda has a high population density and edible and medicinal fungi are high-value agricultural products, which can achieve higher returns in a limited area and have the potential to play an important role in the transformation of Rwanda’s agriculture. It can also improve the nutritional status of the people.

  After 4 years of development, the company's mushroom bag production capacity has reached 10,000 packs per month, and at least 600 kilograms of edible mushrooms are sold per month. The products are not only sold in Rwanda, but also exported to neighboring Congo (DRC) and Uganda. . Ahimana also intends to continue to expand the company's scale and open up new development space in Rwanda and neighboring countries.

  Professor Tang Lixia of the School of Humanities and Development of China Agricultural University said that the content of China-Africa agricultural cooperation is in line with Africa’s own development plans such as the AU’s "Agenda 2063" and the "Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Plan". The content of the cooperation is close to the actual needs of Africa and meets both sides mutual benefit.

  Kenyan international relations research expert Kevins Adhill said: "By the end of 2020, China will win the battle against poverty and historically solve the problem of absolute poverty that has existed for thousands of years. Despite the global challenge of the new crown epidemic, But China’s enviable dream is about to come true. By learning from China’s experience, many African countries have stepped up their poverty alleviation efforts, and the results are tangible.”