China-Africa Agricultural Cooperation:
Boosting Value Addition in Africa

By: Yi Xin

During the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) held earlier this month, Madagascar’s President Andry Rajoelina hailed the success of hybrid rice in his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. In fact, hybrid rice has been such a game-changer in Madagasgar’s grain production that it is celebrated on the 20,000 ariary banknote.

Since 2007, China has been working with Madagascar on hybrid rice technology. Now this high-yielding crop has outperformed traditional varieties by two to three times and its cultivation has expanded to 50,000 hectares in Madagascar.

The China-Africa relationship is a deep and multifaceted one. The collaboration on hybrid rice between China and Madagascar epitomizes the extensive agricultural partnership that has been developing since the 1950s. In recent years, China-Africa agricultural collaboration has become more solid, with notable progress in technology transfer, agricultural industrialization and capacity building.

The agricultural sector is among the ten partnership actions for cooperation with Africa announced by Chinese President Xi Jinping at the 2024 FOCAC Summit. What is especially noteworthy about this initiative, officially known as the Partnership Action for Agriculture and Livelihoods, is that China will encourage two-way investment for joint ventures and create at least one million jobs for Africa by helping the continent retain added value from its agricultural products. As a matter of fact, cooperation to bolster local value chains is already yielding fruits in many African countries.

Cassava Cultivation in Nigeria

Cassava cultivation in many African nations has been hindered by challenges such as low productivity and underdeveloped processing capability.

The Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, a global leader in cassava research, has extended its expertise to Nigeria by working with Nigeria National Root Crops Research Institute and sharing sophisticated breeding and cultivation technologies. The collaboration focuses on research, training and the dissemination of best practices.

In Abuja, a modern agricultural demonstration base was established to enhance local cassava production capabilities. It also serves as a hub for regular training workshops on cassava cultivation and processing. As a result, locals have expanded their product range to include cassava-based biscuits, cakes and noodles, which are higher-value products compared to traditional cassava outputs. This initiative is a significant step towards transforming Nigeria’s cassava industry and aligns with the broader goals of China-Africa agricultural cooperation to boost food security and economic development in Africa

Rubber Industry in Côte d’Ivoire

Côte d’Ivoire, a nation rich in natural resources, is the third-largest producer of natural rubber globally.

Historically, Côte d’Ivoire faced limitations in rubber processing, constraining exports to raw rubber, which offers little added value to the farmers. By joining efforts with China’s Mainland Group in 2020, the country has made a pivotal shift toward value addition in the industry.

The Mainland Group put into operation three rubber processing plants in Dabou, Duekoue and San-Pedro of Côte d’Ivoire, which have together generated over 1,600 local jobs and a combined annual processing capacity of approximately 400,000 tons—accounting for one-third of the nation’s rubber output. According to Mr. Dosso Adama, the Côte d’Ivoire Ambassador to China, these facilities have significantly bolstered the country’s rubber production capabilities. They have added substantial value to the industry, spurred local economic growth and brought tangible benefits to the populace.

These are just two examples of how agricultural cooperation helps to retain added value in Africa. The Beijing Action Plan (2025-2027) adopted at the FOCAC Summit aligns with these efforts. It articulates China’s commitment to incentivizing enterprises to engage in comprehensive industrial chain cooperation with Africa, spanning from agricultural and aquaculture production to processing, machinery manufacturing, and logistics. This is designed to assist Africa in extending its industrial chains and amplifying its value creation, and dovetails well with the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

As the world grapples with destructive impacts of climate change and a challenging economic outlook, China-Africa agricultural partnership can be a big boost to food security and economic growth in Africa, and bring lasting benefits to peace, stability and prosperity of the world.

*The author is a Beijing-based observer of international affairs.

China-Africa Agricultural Cooperation:
Boosting Value Addition in Africa

Korean Film Festival Returns to Nigeria After COVID-19 Break

By: Michael Mike

The Korean Embassy in Nigeria has commenced the Korean Film Festival in Nigeria after it went on break during the CIVID-19 pandemic.

The latest edition is the 12th Edition of the festival and was hosted at the Silverbird Cinema, in Abuja between 19th September to 21st September 2024 with several movies screened.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Korean ambassador to Nigeria, Kim Pankyu, expressed delight with the return of the festival after it was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

He said: “I have come to deeply feel that South Korea and Nigeria share a strong cultural affinity, especially in their love for music and dance.

“Due to this cultural affinity, various elements, such as fashion and cuisine, along with music, are resonating in Nigeria.

“Particularly, there has been a significant surge in the spread of dramas and films.”

He added that: “Along with the global hit ‘Squid Game’ in 2021, the most-watched drama series on Netflix Nigeria in 2022 was ‘Alchemy of souls’.

“Thus, I have come to realise the importance of introducing Korean films to Nigeria, one of the world’s top 3 film-producing countries.”

Also speaking at the event, the Director-General of the National Council for Arts and Culture, Mr Obi Asika, said millions of Nigerians had fallen in love with K-pop [Korean music] and K-drama [Korean drama].

He said Nigeria would continue to learn from the Koreans to improve its entertainment industry.

Korean Film Festival Returns to Nigeria After COVID-19 Break

Nigeria-Malaysia bilateral trade hits $956m in 2023

By: Michael Mike

High Commissioner of Malaysia to Nigeria, Ambassador Aiyub Omar has said Nigeria-Malaysia bilateral trade is in the region of $956 million,

,Omar also said no fewer than 3,386 Nigerian students are currently pursuing higher education in Malaysian public and private institutions.

Omar said this at the weekend on the occasion of his country’s 67th Independence Day of Malaysia in Abuja.

He said Malaysia-Nigeria Diplomatic relations which will hit milestone of 60 years by 2025 is based on a mutual interest in the realms of politics, economics and social.

The envoy said: “Globally, Nigeria is Malaysia 37th trading partner. Total bilateral trade between Malaysia and Nigeria in 2023 was USD956 million (RM4.36 billion).

“For this year alone, our total bilateral trade until the month of July has been recorded at USD747 million. Nigeria is currently Malaysia’s 4th largest partner in Africa (after South Africa, Kenya and Cote d’Ivoire).”

He also disclosed that his country has been contributing to the Nigeria’s development under the framework of South-South Cooperation commitment by providing our technical assistance and expertise.

He added that: “Nigeria has been a recipient country of our Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme (MTCP) since 1981. Until today, 560 government officials from Nigeria have benefited in various technical courses that we offer namely trade, economy, construction skills, cyber security, environmental management, diplomacy, health, public administration, and education.

“I believe with plenty of opportunities, our bilateral relations will flourish.”

Omar said in the area of education: “There are currently about 3,386 Nigerian students pursuing higher education in Malaysia either in public and private institutions.”

He noted that Malaysia has continued to be one of the preferred destinations for Nigerian students to pursue their tertiary education.

Speaking on his country’s post independence journey, the Ambassador said it was ” a long and challenging one involving years of struggle and negotiations of political parties, which pushed for our self-governance. From humble beginnings, Malaysia has diversified its economy, harnessed its natural resources and achieved remarkable milestones.

“Since gaining independence in 1957, Malaysia has effectively shifted its economy away from its initial reliance on agriculture and commodities to evolve into a nation with robust manufacturing and service sectors, turning Malaysia into a major global player in the export of electrical appliances, parts and components.

“Based on a World Bank report, Malaysia stood out as a highly open economy, consistently maintaining a trade-to-GDP ratio exceeding 130% since 2010. Our economy too, has continuously experienced a positive trajectory, posting an average growth rate of 5.4% since 2010 and poised to complete its transformation from an upper middle-income economy to a high-income economy by this year withcurrent GDP per capita now stands at USD13,310 (current price).

” This economic performance is indeed characterised by our political stability and huge Foreign Direct Investment. In 2024, Malaysia has been ranked 19th wealthiest country in Asia alongside China and Singapore. The Global Peace Index (GPI) in 2024 has ranked Malaysia as 10th safest country in the world, a milestone achievement which is something we are really proud of as Malaysians, thanks to the able leadership of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.”

Nigeria-Malaysia bilateral trade hits $956m in 2023