Thirty agricultural officials and experts from Nigeria, Ethiopia, Kenya, Egypt, Gambia, and Cameroon wrapped up a two-week seminar in the Chinese mainland focused on perennial rice—a breakthrough in sustainable farming. Hosted by China\u2019s Ministry of Commerce and supported by leading life science company BGI Group, the program explored how a single planting of perennial rice can yield multiple harvests, promising a greener and more efficient future. 🌾🌍
Delegates dived into full-cycle farming techniques and discussed country-specific strategies. Nigeria explored streamlined planting methods for agricultural transformation, Ethiopia proposed using genomic tools to integrate wild rice genes for high-altitude varieties, Kenya is set to pilot innovative trials, and Egypt emphasized the need for salt-tolerant rice for saline-alkali soils.
Willis Abwao Adero from the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization summed it up: "I came with an empty bag, but I'm going back with a full bag of information, full bag of knowledge." Senior researcher Allo Amen Dido from Ethiopia added, "We learned a lot about full-cycle management in perennial rice production."
Coinciding with the 25th anniversary of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), this seminar underscored the importance of long-term partnerships in modernizing agriculture, lighting the way for a sustainable, collaborative future.
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African delegates finish training on perennial rice in China
cgtn.com
