China, Africa to establish China-Africa agricultural science and technology innovation alliance

The Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) President Wu Kongming met with Felix Dapare Dakora, President of the African Academy of Sciences (AAS) on Jan. 13, 2023. The two sides exchanged views on furthering China-Africa agricultural science and technology cooperation and agreed to jointly lead preparations for the establishment of the China-Africa Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Alliance.

The Alliance will serve as a platform for China-Africa cooperation in agricultural science and technology, education, and industrial innovation, aiming to jointly address agricultural challenges such as food security and boost Africa to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the African Union's Agenda 2063.

Wu Kongming pointed out that CAAS attaches great importance to cooperation with Africa and has established cooperative relations with 23 African countries. In recent years, under the Belt and Road Initiative and the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, the two sides have carried out practical cooperation on major issues such as food security, poverty reduction, and agricultural green development, and have achieved a series of positive results.

Wu emphasized that the establishment of the Alliance is an important measure to implement the outcomes of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. It will help give full play to the advantages of CAAS and AAS in resources, networks, and platforms.

In addition, it will upgrade China-Africa cooperation in agricultural science and technology, help Africa ensure food security and foster a closer China-Africa community with a shared future.

Dakora agreed with Wu Kongming, saying that China's experience in ensuring food security is worth learning for Africa, stating that the Alliance, an important initiative for jointly meeting the challenges of food insecurity and delivering on the goal of zero hunger, will definitely inject strong impetus into Africa-China agricultural science and technology cooperation and the advancement of African agricultural science and technology.

At the end of the meeting, the two sides signed the first memorandum of understanding on cooperation which highlighting joint research, development of cooperative platforms, and exchanges and mutual visits.

Jia Yinsuo, academician of AAS and chairman of AAS's China branch, accompanied Dakora during the visit. Among the meeting participants was CAAS Vice President Sun Tan, heads of CAAS's Department of International Cooperation and Graduate School, relevant experts, and African student representatives.