ADDIS ABABA – Ethiopia’s former Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn said China is a good example for Africa to transform agriculture.
In an exclusive interview with Xinhua on Tuesday in the Rwandan capital city Kigali Hailemariam said China, which has transformed a large number of its agricultural population within a short period, is a good example for Africa to transform agriculture and achieve zero hunger. However, Africa shall not copy from China, he added.
Africa has to apply and adapt basic principles and methodologies used in China to its own conditions, he said. The former PM will lead a team of Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) to attend a China-Africa agriculture forum in southern China province Hainan in December, which he said will give Africa many lessons.
“Such forums are very important to us to work with China. We have South-South cooperation programs. We will work with South-South cooperation programs very well and again we have the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), which is a general framework for our work.”
“I think there is huge work we have to do together with the government, private sector and civil society groups,” said Hailemariam, who was talking about potential agricultural cooperation between China and Africa. The former Ethiopian PM is now board chair of the Africa-based agriculture institution, AGRA. He is in Rwanda for the launch of the African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) 2020 Summit, slated for September next year.
Rwanda is set to host the African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) 2020 Summit from Sept. 8-11, 2020. The annual summit is designed to energize political will and advance the policies, programs and investments required to achieve an inclusive and sustainable agricultural transformation across Africa.
The Ethiopian Herald, November 28/2019
BY STAFF REPORTER
