BUJUMBURA February 14th (ABP) – The Chinese Embassy to Burundi organized, on Friday, February 10, 2023, a reception for the end of the mission of the 5th team of Chinese agricultural experts in Burundi, a check by ABP revealed
The permanent secretary to the Minister in charge of agriculture, Mr. Emmanuel Ndorimana, indicated during that event that this team of experts worked in an appreciable and satisfactory manner in Burundi in general and in the agricultural field in particular, adding that 45 high-level agricultural experts have already been sent to Burundi to carry out agricultural technical assistance tasks, in the fields of rice growing, soil science, fertilizers, processing of agricultural products, fruit growing, livestock and aquaculture.
Indeed, Mr. Ndorimana said that this group of agricultural experts has overcome many challenges by carrying out surveys and investigations, pilot demonstrations and on-site training as well as the contribution of a large number of equipment and agricultural materials in Burundi. He also pointed out that the team of Chinese experts is engaged in the testing and demonstration of new varieties and technologies, not to mention the training of personnel, industrial development, planning and implementation of large appreciable projects by the Ministry of Environment, Agriculture and Livestock of Burundi, farmers and other partners concerned.
The permanent secretary to the minister in charge of agriculture also pointed out that in the field of rice, the team of experts successfully selected hybrid rice varieties adapted to Burundi and which were able to produce a yield record of more or less than 12 tons per hectare and this also made it possible to set up a hybrid rice development fund in cooperation with the parties concerned in Burundi and the implementation of a demonstration of sustainable rice development in different villages of the Gihanga commune with obvious effects on increasing production and income and more practically getting out of poverty.
He thus pointed out that the implementation of the project of high-level agricultural experts in Burundi has played an important role in improving the level of agricultural development, in strengthening agricultural cooperation between China and Burundi, in deepening friendship as well as in cooperative partnership.
As for the Chinese ambassador to Burundi, Ms. LI Shuyuan, the new rice varieties selected by those experts have been approved because 22 rice demonstration villages in 14 provinces have achieved a bumper harvest with an increase in particular in the production of 8750 tons and revenue of 2.7 million US dollars as well as 5000 farmers who have been trained. Moreover, she said, they have recorded success in various fields such as poverty alleviation, development of livestock, fisheries and growing of fruit trees.
She said that food security is the basis for peace, stability and sustainable economic development, stressing that the Chinese government has decided to send Chinese experts to Burundi to support it in its agricultural development.
She also pointed out that China will work hand in hand with Burundi to ensure food security, within the framework of consolidating Sino-Burundian friendship, partnership and building a Sino-African community with a shared future.