Kenya holds forum to promote Sino-African agricultural, industrial cooperation

Hamadi Boga, vice president of Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), delivers a speech during the inaugural Africa-China Forum on Agri-Tech and Industrial Cooperation in Nairobi, Kenya, on June 24, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

The inaugural Africa-China Forum on Agri-Tech and Industrial Cooperation took place on Tuesday in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.

The day-long conference was hosted by Nairobi-based Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), Beijing Jingwa Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Center, the International Livestock Research Institute and the Finance Center for South-South Cooperation.

Ibrahim Mayaki, African Union special envoy for food systems, said the continent stands to gain from emulating China's model of agricultural transformation, driven by forward-looking policies, technology and innovations.

"We can leverage China's successes in agricultural modernization, rural transformation and poverty alleviation as reference points for Africa's own agricultural renaissance, while recognizing the specificity of African ecosystems and cultures," Mayaki said.

Mayaki stressed that joint research between China and Africa in climate-smart farming practices, development of high-yielding crops, modern irrigation technologies and digital extension services could offer lasting solution to hunger, rural poverty and malnutrition affecting the world's second-largest continent.

Hamadi Boga, vice president of AGRA, noted that China has set the pace in technology- and innovation-led agricultural modernization, inspiring African nations to follow suit, feed their growing population and leapfrog into an industrial era.

The Sino-African agricultural cooperation, according to Boga, has rapidly evolved as witnessed by technology transfer, establishment of demonstration zones, exchange visits and institutional collaboration, boosting crop yield, agro-processing and exports.

Boga also called on African research institutions to forge long-term partnership with their Chinese counterparts to accelerate an inclusive food systems transformation, rooted in improved soil health, climate resilience, access to finance, technologies and markets.

Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Guo Haiyan said China is keen to share with Africa's bilateral partners its home-grown technologies, innovations, experience and best practices, which could hasten the continent's agricultural modernization to realize food security and boost export competitiveness.

Guo noted that China-Africa agricultural cooperation has prioritized technology transfer, facilitating trade in agricultural commodities and upgrading value chains for farm produce.

In addition, China has partnered with African countries to enhance response to crop pests and diseases, capacity building for extension workers and farmers, deployment of technologies for scaling up agro-processing and value addition, Guo added.