laitimes

Something asked | Lin Dongmei: Why has fungus grass become a key project of China-Africa agricultural exchanges?

author:China News Network

Johannesburg, 22 Oct (ZXS) -- Question: Why has fungus and grass become a key project of China-Africa agricultural exchanges?

-- An interview with Lin Dongmei, an expert on China's aid to agriculture in Africa

Wang Xi, reporter of China News Agency

Something asked | Lin Dongmei: Why has fungus grass become a key project of China-Africa agricultural exchanges?

In 2021, a "Mountain and Sea Love" moved China. Through the play, people learned about the important role of mushroom technology in poverty alleviation. What is even more rare is that this agricultural technology invented by the famous scientist Professor Lin Zhanxi not only benefits the Chinese people, but has gone to Africa in the late 90s of the 20th century and has become one of the boosters for Africa to get rid of poverty.

As the person in charge of China's fungus technology project in Africa, Lin Dongmei, former deputy head of the expert group of the fungus and upland rice project cooperated by Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, the Department of Agriculture of Kwana Province of South Africa and the Ministry of Agriculture of Rwanda, has focused on the promotion of fungus technology in Africa in recent years. She recently accepted an exclusive interview with China News Agency's "East-West Question" to talk about the role and significance of fungi and grass in the process of China-Africa agricultural exchanges.

The following is a summary of the interview:

China News Agency: What is the development process of the China-Africa fungus and grass exchange and cooperation project?

Lin Dongmei: China-Africa fungi and grass exchanges and cooperation have been nearly 30 years, and different types of cooperation have been developed at different stages.

The first is to provide various types of technical training for developing countries, including African countries, including technical training courses, official training courses, bilateral training courses, etc. From 1995 to the present, we have trained 6,957 trainees from 44 African countries in Fujian and Africa to become ambassadors of fungus and grass technology in African countries.

The second is to independently carry out cooperation with Africa to carry out fungus and grass technology poverty alleviation projects. Since 2004, we have signed and implemented cooperation agreements with South Africa and Rwanda on fungus technology transfer and industrialization poverty alleviation, and since then we have also cooperated with government departments at all levels and local institutions in Madagascar, Tanzania, Kenya, Nigeria and other countries.

The third is technical assistance projects for Africa. Since 2006, we have successively undertaken the Chinese government's assistance to Lesotho fungus technology project, Rwanda agricultural technology demonstration center project and China-Africa fungus technology project, built local fungus technology demonstration bases and demonstration centers, and sent experts to carry out technology localization and promotion work for a long time.

Something asked | Lin Dongmei: Why has fungus grass become a key project of China-Africa agricultural exchanges?

Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University explained to the students the technology of self-cultivation of fungus fungus. Courtesy of the China International Development Cooperation Agency

The fourth is to promote it in Africa through the United Nations Mushroom Project. Since 2017, we have cooperated with UN DESA to hold a series of regional meetings and country seminars in Africa to organize African countries to exchange experiences in the development of the mushroom and grass industry, promote countries to formulate policies and measures that will help the implementation of mushroom and grass technology, and provide short-term technical guidance and training to smallholder farmers and young students.

The fifth is to cultivate localized talents for scientific and technological innovation of mushrooms and grasses in African countries. Since 2009, we have trained 21 PhD students in 8 African countries.

Generally speaking, China's technical assistance projects and technical training have a large impact and long duration, and have played a good role in poverty alleviation in the local area, and relevant United Nations projects are conducive to multilateral cooperation and exchanges.

Something asked | Lin Dongmei: Why has fungus grass become a key project of China-Africa agricultural exchanges?

Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University undertakes training courses on mushroom and grass technology in developing countries. The trainees visited the Institute of Mushrooms and Grasses of Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University to study the real thing. Photo by Zheng Shuai

China News Agency: What are the characteristics of China-Africa exchanges and cooperation?

Lin Dongmei: The characteristics of China-Africa exchanges and cooperation are mainly manifested in two aspects. First, "small but beautiful": compared with engineering and construction projects, agricultural projects have a small scale of funds; The second is "benefiting people's livelihood": although the scale of investment is not large, it is closely related to the lives of ordinary people and benefits a large area, especially small farmers can benefit from relevant technologies for a long time and have a strong sense of gain. However, the technology of fungi and grass is affected by the skill level of farmers, and its large-scale promotion still requires continuous investment, and local farmers need to be extra patient to guide them. At the beginning, the development rate was a little slower in 1 to 2 years, but as long as farmers master the technology and the local industrial chain is formed, it will usher in rapid growth, just like the story of "Mountain and Sea Love" in the Fujian-Nanjing cooperation, the fungus and grass cooperation has achieved self-hematopoietic function for the local area, which has a far-reaching effect on poverty reduction in African countries.

Something asked | Lin Dongmei: Why has fungus grass become a key project of China-Africa agricultural exchanges?

Various edible fungi being cultivated in the edible fungus cultivation base of Fuzhou National Fungus Engineering Technology Research Center. Photo by Zheng Shuai

China News Agency: What are the current problems in exchanges and cooperation between China and Africa?

Lin Dongmei: First of all, there is uncertainty. At present, the international situation is complicated and is under the great changes unprecedented in a century, especially the political instability and poor social security in some countries, which has caused great difficulties to our daily work, and the epidemic in recent years has also had a great impact on China-Africa fungus and grass exchanges. Second, the local agricultural science and technology foundation is weak, and the number of Chinese project experts is limited, and it is necessary to rely on the local agricultural extension system to carry out work, so the efficiency of technology promotion is still subject to local conditions.

China News Agency: Why has fungus grass become a key project of China-Africa agricultural exchanges and cooperation? What advantages does it have?

Lin Dongmei: The advantages of fungus grass are first of all that the production method is close to the people, and its simplified production mode reduces the risks faced by farmers, creates benefits in a short period of time, and can quickly achieve poverty alleviation, which is very suitable for small farmers and is welcomed by local people in Africa; The second is the wide adaptability of technology, and the multi-purpose of grass, recycling application, and long industrial chain, which African countries attach great importance to; In addition to economic benefits, the ecological benefits of fungi are equally important, planting fungi can maintain water and soil, conserve water sources, purify water quality, and help the local community cope with climate change, so it is favored.

Something asked | Lin Dongmei: Why has fungus grass become a key project of China-Africa agricultural exchanges?

The Fuzhou National Engineering Research Center for Mushrooms and Grass displays mushrooms and other edible fungi cultivated using mushroom and grass technology. Photo by Zheng Shuai

ZXS: What is the effect and significance of China-Africa agricultural exchanges and cooperation represented by mushrooms and grasses?

Lin Dongmei: In the process of China-Africa fungus and grass exchanges and cooperation, technology localization, policy coordination, effective technology dissemination, product market development, training and education are indispensable.

Taking the mushroom project as an example, it is through the continuous efforts of agricultural experts and staff over the years that the exchange of mushroom and grass project can continue to bear fruit. This is mainly reflected in three aspects: first, to solve the problem of insufficient feed for the development of local animal husbandry in Africa; The second is to develop a new mushroom industry for the local area, which has an outstanding effect on poverty reduction; The third is to provide local people in Africa with comprehensive solutions for sustainable agricultural development.

China-Africa agricultural exchanges and cooperation represented by mushrooms and grasses are people-oriented, attach importance to poverty alleviation and poverty alleviation of grassroots people, and their practical effects are both economic and ecological benefits, which is a major public good provided by China to the international community, which is one of the reasons why China-Africa agricultural exchanges can resonate in the international community.

In general, China-Africa agricultural exchanges and cooperation embody that "the friendship of the country lies in the people, and the people's friendship lies in the heart-to-heart connection", which can be called the vivid practice and interpretation of Xi Jinping's diplomatic thought. In this process, the Chinese and African people share the achievements of science and technology and poverty alleviation, and jointly build a sustainable development path for the future of China-Africa agriculture. More importantly, through the bridge role of fungus and grass exchanges and cooperation, more African grassroots people have learned about China and the Chinese people, and China's image in the hearts of African people has been continuously improved.

China News Agency: What is the future direction of China-Africa fungus and grass exchange and cooperation projects?

Lin Dongmei: At present, China-Africa agricultural exchanges and cooperation represented by mushrooms and grasses have been implemented in African countries such as South Africa, Rwanda, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania and Lesotho, and other countries that have not yet landed have also expressed strong intentions. It is foreseeable that in the future, the fungus project will take root in more African countries.

Secondly, the mushroom grass project has attracted worldwide attention because of its unique economic value and environmental benefits, especially in recent years, the role of mushroom grass in ecological governance has become more and more significant.

Third, in the process of China-Africa fungus exchange and cooperation project, more and more African people know and understand fungus grass, and they will become the publicity, implementation and implementation force of the project, so that the fungus technology can be truly internalized into the agricultural development strategies and action plans of these African countries. (End)

Respondent Profiles:

Something asked | Lin Dongmei: Why has fungus grass become a key project of China-Africa agricultural exchanges?

Lin Dongmei, Deputy Director of the National Engineering Research Center for Mushroom and Grass, Deputy Director of the International Cooperation and Exchange Office of Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Chairman of Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University of the Peasants and Workers Party, Technical Advisor of the United Nations Mushroom and Grass Technology Project. He has long been engaged in the scientific research, promotion, teaching and international cooperation of fungus technology. He has successively served as the project leader, domestic liaison and expert of the Rwanda Agricultural Technology Demonstration Center, the Fiji Mushroom and Grass Technical Cooperation Project, the Lesotho Mushroom and Grass Technical Cooperation Project, the Papua New Guinea Mushroom Grass and Dry Rice Technology Project, and the China-Africa Mushroom Technology Project. As a science and technology commissioner, he serves poverty alleviation, ecological governance and rural revitalization, and implements counterpart assistance projects.

Read on