Catalyst for food security

China is working with Africa to enhance the continent's agricultural growth

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented negative impact on health and nutrition in Africa. According to the African Union and international organizations such as the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization, the pandemic has affected food systems in many ways, disrupting the input and output markets, as well as the production of various commodities mostly undertaken by smallholder farmers who are mainly women and the youth.

Its effect has also been compounded by other shocks on Africa's food systems during this period, such as locust outbreaks, extreme weather events due to climate change and rising security challenges in various parts of the continent. The current conflict in Ukraine will also worsen the continent's food security as it is likely to disrupt agricultural activities of two major exporters of staple commodities. This could seriously escalate food insecurity globally, particularly in poorer developing countries, also in Africa at a time, when international food and input prices are already high.

Considering that Africa has consistently believed that agriculture has a pivotal role to play in its development, the African Union in 2003 adopted the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme, a framework to improve agricultural productivity, increase investment, improve coordination, share knowledge and promote coordination in the agricultural sector.

The COVID-19 pandemic, however, slowed down Africa's progress toward achieving the laudable Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme goals and sharply exacerbated existing challenges. Regaining momentum in increasing the pace of CAADP implementation remains a top priority for the AU.

Recently, the AU decided to make "building resilience in nutrition on the African continent" its theme for 2022. The overriding objective strongly emphasizes the importance of nutrition, especially child nutrition, as a major pillar for the development of human capital and the social and economic transformation of Africa. This initiative underlines the urgency for building a resilient agriculture sector as the mainstay of African economies to fast-track the development agenda of the continent.

Africa faces many agricultural challenges. Poor infrastructure and energy supply, lack of access to modern technology, scientific farming methods and finance, as well as the detrimental impact of climate change and conflicts, all continue to impede agricultural progress.

The continent has around 830 million hectares of land suitable for agricultural production－an area greater than that of the entire United States. Agriculture is a major source of income for a large section of the rural population in vast parts of Africa and accounts for more than half of the total employment. However, African agriculture is yet to unleash its full potential.

An "agricultural revolution" is needed with enhanced modernization, mechanization and increased productivity. African countries are rightfully calling for more international resources, technology, and development lessons to help promote the agricultural sector.

China, with its phenomenal economic and agricultural reform and achievements, has prioritized investment in agricultural development and food security. Africa has noted China's economic progress and views China as a natural partner and potent "catalyst for change "for helping countries on the continent to turn resource advantages into developmental progress.

Africa attaches great importance to its mutually beneficial agricultural cooperation with China, which has rapidly grown, establishing a solid foundation for practical cooperation. Agricultural trade between China and Africa has grown apace with an average annual growth rate of between 15 and 20 percent. China has also significantly boosted its direct investment in Africa's agricultural sector with the Chinese private sector playing an increasingly prominent role.

At the highly constructive Eighth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Dakar in 2021, President Xi Jinping announced nine major cooperation plans for the continent, including agricultural development and modernization.

At present, these efforts focus on funding agricultural cooperation programs, establishing agricultural technology demonstration centers, sending Chinese experts to Africa, joint promotion of technical and vocational training for the youth and carrying out capacity building activities which are bound to be further expanded.

China and Africa have identified a growing number of opportunities for future agricultural cooperation and the two sides will continue to work, to effectively align China's agricultural development cooperation plan with Africa's own agricultural development plans and policies.

The author is a senior research fellow at the Institute of African Studies at Zhejiang Normal University and a former senior diplomat in the South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation. The author contributed this article to China Watch, a think tank powered by China Daily. The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

Contact the editor at editor@chinawatch.cn