The 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), which commenced on September 4 in Beijing, has reaffirmed its role as the most comprehensive platform for Sino-Africa relations. Gathering major players from China and Africa, along with representatives from the continent’s sub-regional and international organizations, the summit provides an important opportunity to discuss cooperation, renew friendships, and map out plans for the medium and long term.
Under the theme “Joining hands to advance modernization and build a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future,” the event highlights agriculture as a key area of cooperation expected to dominate discussions. Agriculture has long been a pivotal foundation for both China and African economies, contributing to poverty alleviation, food security, and improved living standards.
Since its inception in 2000, FOCAC has prioritized agricultural cooperation, addressing common challenges in modernization and development. The partnership has expanded into various areas, including agro-industries, food security, capacity-building, agricultural technology, finance, and trade. Over the past 24 years, this cooperation has produced tangible results, significantly contributing to economic growth in both regions.
One of the significant achievements is in agricultural trade, where FOCAC has been instrumental in eliminating bottlenecks that impede China-Africa agricultural cooperation. At the eighth Ministerial Conference of FOCAC in 2021, China introduced a “green channel” for African agricultural products entering the Chinese market. This initiative has expanded tariff exemptions and expedited quarantine and inspection processes. As of June 2023, 16 agricultural products from 11 African countries have accessed the Chinese market through the “green channel,” boosting Africa’s agricultural exports to China.
In 2023, China, the second-largest market for agricultural exports from Africa, imported $5.32 billion worth of agricultural products from the continent. Initiatives like the “green channel” boosted Chinese imports of African nuts, vegetables, flowers, and fruits by 130 percent, 32 percent, 14 percent, and 7 percent respectively compared to the previous year.
These efforts under FOCAC have strengthened China-Africa agricultural trade, which grew from $650 million in 2000 to $6.92 billion in 2018, averaging a 14 percent annual increase. For Africa, with 65 percent of the world’s uncultivated arable land but lagging productivity, enhanced cooperation with China, which has less than 10 percent of the world’s arable land yet feeds nearly a fifth of the global population, brings invaluable resources to the region.
Africa’s agricultural productivity has long been hindered by a lack of inputs, limited access to agricultural advisory services under a predominantly rainfed agricultural system, and reliance on outdated production methods. These challenges have exacerbated food insecurity, malnutrition, and poverty across the continent. Through FOCAC, cooperation with China is helping to address these challenges, fostering development and growth in Africa’s agricultural sector.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
