Addis Ababa, October 27, 2025 (ENA) – The African Union Commission (AUC) has reaffirmed that China and Africa are keen to strengthen their cooperation in agriculture, science, and expertise to speed up progress and guarantee meals sovereignty throughout the continent.
The commissioner made the remarks in the course of the Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Alliance Conference held in Addis Ababa, which centered on advancing agriculture by way of expertise, innovation, market improvement, and worth chain enhancement to bolster China-Africa partnerships.
“Africa stands at a crossroads with immense opportunities to apply innovation for sustainable progress,” he reiterated.
Delivering a message on behalf of Ethiopia’s Minister of Agriculture, Addisu Arega, Efa Muleta highlighted Ethiopia’s outstanding progress in 2025, pushed by sturdy political dedication and management.
Efa additionally recalled Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s flagship initiatives, together with the Green Legacy Initiative, which has planted over 40 billion bushes; the National Irrigated Wheat Self-Sufficiency Program; and the Yelemat Tirufat Initiative, all of which have contributed to a median agricultural productiveness progress of 6.8 % yearly.
“These achievements have made Ethiopia Sub-Saharan Africa’s largest wheat producer and a model for agricultural transformation across the continent,” he added, noting that the Ethiopian Agricultural Research System has been instrumental in disseminating improved applied sciences to farmers.
Prof. Lise Korsten, President of the African Academy of Sciences (AAS), praised the Alliance’s position in fostering innovation by way of Sino-African cooperation, describing it as “key to achieving food security for billions.”
Ambassador Jiang Feng of the Chinese Mission to the African Union highlighted agricultural modernization as a cornerstone of nationwide improvement, noting China’s shift from conventional assist to sustainable improvement cooperation with Africa.
He recalled that China has applied zero tariffs on agricultural merchandise from 53 African nations and established 20 agricultural expertise facilities throughout Africa, benefiting multiple million smallholder farmers.
Abebe Haile Gabriel, Assistant Director-General of the FAO for Africa, described China-Africa South-South Cooperation as a “strategic lever for transforming African agriculture.”
He concluded that given Africa’s ongoing challenges, together with low productiveness, fragmented worth chains, and restricted market entry, renewed and outcomes-oriented cooperation with China is important to open new horizons for meals manufacturing and safety.