STORY: African agriculture thrives with Chinese technology, market access SHOOTING TIME: Earlier footage
DATELINE: June 18, 2024
LENGTH: 0:03:32
LOCATION: Abuja/Kigali/GUIGUIDOU AREA, Cote d'Ivoire/NANYUKI TOWN, Kenya
CATEGORY: SOCIETY/MARKET

SHOTLIST:
1. various of Abuja
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): WANG MIAO, Director, China-Africa Green Agriculture Development Center
3. Kigali
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): NYAMBO OBED, Rwandan entrepreneur
5. various of the Tambuzi flower farm in Kenya
6. SOUNDBITE 3 (Swahili): PETER NDONGA, Worker at Tambuzi flower farm
7. SOUNDBITE 4 (English): REGINA WAIRIMU, Sales assistant at Tambuzi flower farm
8. various of Guiguidou area
9. Guiguidou area

STORYLINE:

In recent years, agricultural cooperation between China and Africa has flourished under the frameworks of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and the Belt and Road Initiative.

Abuja, Nigeria

With years of dedicated work, experts from a Chinese company have developed a high-yield rice seed tailored to local conditions in Nigeria, outperforming native varieties by over 20 percent.

This seed, endorsed by Nigerian agricultural authorities, is now cultivated across two-thirds of the country's states.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): WANG MIAO, Director, China-Africa Green Agriculture Development Center
"China's agricultural assistance to Africa promotes the development of agricultural industrialization in Africa and contributes to agricultural trade cooperation and technology transfer between China and Africa. To produce more agricultural products through in-depth cooperation between China and Africa is of great significance to the food security of Africa and the increase of the world's food supply."

Kigali, Rwanda

Juncao, a hybrid grass cultivated through decades of Chinese scientific research, emerges as a multifunctional agricultural resource.

Beyond mushroom cultivation, its leaves, stems and roots find utility in ecological treatments, combating soil erosion and desertification while serving as fodder for livestock and poultry.

In Rwanda, the technology benefits over 4,000 Rwandan farmers, catalyzing the creation of more than 30,000 jobs along the agricultural value chain.

SOUNDBITE 2 (English): NYAMBO OBED, Rwandan entrepreneur
"They (these Chinese experts) started supporting me, training me, showing me how to do it. I came really confident that what I'm struggling doing is something real."
Nanyuki Town, Kenya

The vibrant red roses grown in central Kenya's lush highlands have found an eager new market in China.
   
At the Tambuzi flower farm not far from the capital Nairobi, Peter Ndonga and his colleagues have seen the Chinese market become a crucial export destination for their diverse variety of roses.

SOUNDBITE 3 (Swahili): PETER NDONGA, Worker at Tambuzi flower farm
"The Chinese buyers have been very helpful. They have sustained our work and incomes. This has boosted us as they buy these flowers that we are planting here, and it has boosted the sales and eventually helped us. Also, when they come here, they are happy with the kind of work that we do."

SOUNDBITE 4 (English): REGINA WAIRIMU, Sales assistant at Tambuzi flower farm
"The business partnership with the Chinese is helping us reduce the distance because they are creating a ready market for our products, so we have less distance and a ready market for our produce."

Guiguidou area, Divo Province
Cote d'Ivoire

In 1997, the Guiguidou area in Cote d'Ivoire welcomed the first Chinese Agricultural Technical Assistance Mission.

Chinese experts provided guidance and assistance to local farmers in rice cultivation, water conservancy facility maintenance, and talent training.

Since then, the rice varieties in the area have been continuously optimized, and the quality and yields of rice have become higher.

Today, the Guiguidou area has become a famous rice planting base in the country.

SOUNDBITE 5 (French): YACOUBA DEMBELE, General director of Agency for Development of Rice Sector in Cote d'Ivoire
"I believe China is among the nations that have invested significantly in aiding Cote d'Ivoire. I firmly believe that there is no finer collaboration or more substantial support for a developing nation such as ours than what China extends. Undoubtedly, we cannot commend China adequately for this outstanding partnership. Such support really goes straight into our hearts, allowing us to achieve self-sufficiency."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Abuja/Kigali/Guiguidou area, Cote d'Ivoire/Nanyuki Town, Kenya.
(XHTV)