Africa -China Review Africa -China Cooperation and Transformation
By Gerald Mbanda
Mushroom growing in southern Province of Rwanda using Juncao technology. Photo: Africa China Review. Tuesday 7, 2021.
The agricultural technology using Juncao enables the growth of mushrooms, using grass. Juncao sometimes called the “China grass” is also used to feed livestock. The technology which was invented by professor Lin Zhanxi from China’s Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University in the 1980s, has been shared with many African countries. The technology has played a major role in poverty alleviation, increasing food security as well as job creation.
China was able to win the war against abject poverty in 2020, and by sharing its agricultural technology with African countries; the purpose is for African countries also to be able to overcome poverty as well as achieve food security. It is estimated that 35 per cent of the world’s hungry people are on the African continent yet 70 percent of the continents adult working population is engaged in agriculture. The Chinese agricultural projects in Africa therefore, help Africa to kill two birds with one stone.
In Rwanda, the Juncao technology was established through China-Rwanda Agricultural technology Demonstration Center(C-RATDC) which opened doors in 2011. The center has so far offered 57 training courses which trained 2,109 participants. A total of 1,600 visitors eager to learn about the Juncao technology have visited the center while more than 3,700 farmers have been supported, according to an official statement from C-RATDC. Juncao is now considered as a flourishing local industry with over 20,000 beneficiaries. The technology and products have also spread from Rwanda to Central and Eastern African countries.
Ndayizeye Ernest. A mushroom grower in Southern Province of Rwanda. Photo: African China Review Tuesday7, 2021.
Ndayizeye Ernest, a university graduate leant the Juncao technology from China-Rwanda Agricultural technology Demonstration Center(C-RATDC) and also went for further training in China, shared with Africa China Review his success story in mushroom business. Having started 2 years ago with a capital of only 200,000 Rwandan Francs (200 USD), he now boasts of a capital in excess of 5million Rwandan Francs (5,000USD). He is employing 5 people in his business.
According to Ndayizeye, Juncao technology has become an income generating business to the local communities but has also provided food security and job creation. “My clients are mainly in Kigali especially with hotels. I sell one kilogram at 2,500 Rwandan Francs and I want to expand my business to Risizi while targeting to get clients across the border in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC),” Ndayizeye told Africa China Review.
As China partners with African countries to increase food production and end poverty, rich western countries and multinational organizations like the World Bank, have been put on spot light for conspiring to keep the African continent in a vicious circle of poverty.
“I come from a country that not only doesn’t care about its own poor, one in seven Americans is hungry right now and they do not care..,” Jeffery Sachs told delegated from more than 100 countries at the UN food systems pre-summit on July 27, 2021, in Rome.
Jeffrey Sachs, an American economist and a campaigner to end global poverty, says that the world is able to eliminate extreme poverty by 2025 with proper planning and funding. However, the prevailing world food system is controlled by large multinational companies from powerful countries that are only interested in making profit. Sachs calls for a new system based on “principles of human dignity in the universal declaration, principle of sovereignty as well as principles of economic rights.”
During the African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) 2021 summit that ends today, September 10, in Nairobi-Kenya, African leaders called for transforming farming systems to boost food, nutrition security and rural incomes as countries struggles to rebuild economies disrupted the COVID-19 pandemic. It is important to note that Chinese agricultural projects in Africa are already involved in agricultural projects on the continent that support the Africa Green Revolution agenda.
According to Chinese experts, over the past 20 years, China’s Juncao technology has been transferred to more than 100 countries around the world, and has tremendously improved the economic well-being of millions of people. The technology is a good example of knowledge sharing practice that promotes China’s foreign poverty reduction cooperation.
Mr. Zhu Su Chinese expert at the China-Rwanda Agricultural technology Demonstration Center(C-RATDC) at ISAR- in Southern Province of Rwanda
Rice growing project supported by China at Isar-Rubona- Southern Province–Rwanda
Photo: Africa China Review, Tuesday, 7, 2021.
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