The Field of Hope

Burundi’s rice cultivation benefits from Chinese expertise

- Li Kaizhi

On November 2, the third-generation hybrid rice developed by Yuan Longping, China’s “father of hybrid rice,” and his team achieved a yield of 911.7 kg per mu (0.067 hectare) in an experimental plot in central China’s Hunan Province. Combined with an early-season rice yield of 619.06 kg, the total annual rice yield of the plot in Qingzhu Village, Hengnan County of the province reached 1,530.76 kg per mu.

Similar to their work at home, many Chinese agricultural experts are now working hard on the African continent, aiming to increase the crop yields, improve the level of agricultural industry development, and contribute to building a China-Africa community with a shared future. Hu Shuangquan, now aged 49, is one of them.

Two years ago, Hu worked in the Agricultural Technology Service Center of Xiaoling Township, Chongyang County in central China’s Hubei Province. Now, he is in a Chinese agricultural expert group working in Burundi, where they provide technical assistance to the local people.

In this aid mission, Hu’s main work is to carry out the research and technical demonstration of the production, processing and storage of agricultural products, and conduct technical training sessions.

“From 2003 to 2014, I worked in three African countries. During that period, I found that there was much to be improved in Africa in terms of agricultural production, processing and storage technology. So, after learning of this aid program, I signed up immediately and am honored to be picked out,” Hu told ChinAfrica.