Zambian farmers feel effects of partnership

Agricultural cooperation is an important part of China-Zambia relations and China is optimistic about the prospects for such investment in Zambia, said a senior Chinese government official.

Chinese Ambassador to Zambia Han Jing said during a recent meeting with Reuben Mtolo Phiri, Zambia's minister of agriculture, that China will assist the export of more Zambian agricultural products to China, benefiting the peoples of both countries.

Phiri said that under the strategic guidance of the two countries' leaders, Zambia-China agricultural cooperation has yielded fruitful results.

Zambia welcomes Chinese enterprises to invest in its agricultural sector and hopes that the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation will enhance mutually beneficial cooperation between Zambia and China.

Zambia is a landlocked country located in south-central Africa, covering an area of 752,600 square kilometers, with an altitude between 1,000 and 1,500 meters, and a savanna climate that is classified as mostly humid subtropical. Agriculture is a vital sector of Zambia's economy, accounting for about 18 percent of its GDP, with approximately two-thirds of the population engaged in agriculture.

Zambia's main crops include maize, wheat, peanuts, cotton, sugarcane and tobacco. Tobacco, sugar, vegetables and coffee are the main agricultural exports. With abundant freshwater and forage resources, Zambia has potential for the development of aquaculture and livestock farming.

China is not only an important trade partner and source of foreign aid for Zambia, but has become one of Zambia's largest sources of foreign investment. Chinese enterprises' agricultural investments in Zambia rank among the highest of China's agricultural investments in Africa, with a focus on grain, cotton processing, vegetable cultivation and livestock farming.

Zhongken Farm, owned by China State Farms Agribusiness, a subsidiary of China National Agricultural Development Group, is one of the largest Chinese-owned farms in Zambia, covering a total area of more than 5,300 hectares.

It primarily engages in agricultural cultivation, focusing on wheat, soybean and maize, as well as livestock farming, specializing in the raising of laying hens, broiler chickens and beef cattle. Over the past 30 years since its establishment, Zhongken Farm has made contributions to bolstering Zambia's agricultural development and supporting local economic and social development.

At the Zambia-China High-Quality Development Forum in May, Fu Guoqing, deputy general manager of CNADC, said that the overseas agricultural development activities of CNADC are based on a consensus reached by the heads of China and Zambia back in September 2023.

He reviewed the investment and operation of CNADC in Zambia, noting that the company has brought advanced agricultural technology and management experience to farmers, created numerous job opportunities and boosted domestic economic development.

The company has also made outstanding contributions in agricultural technology training and social welfare activities, showcasing Chinese enterprises' social responsibilities, he said.