BRIGHTON MURONZEREYI
CHINA is assisting Zimbabwe in optimising its agro-ecological systems, upgrading farming techniques, and strengthening the connection between scientific and technological innovation and value-added processing as the two nations enhance cooperation in agriculture.
Speaking during the inauguration of the China-Zimbabwe Belt and Road Joint Laboratory on Agriculture Ecology and Cash Crops in Harare yesterday, Chinese ambassador Zhou Ding stated that the initiative would support Zimbabwe’s agricultural modernisation and contribute to food security and rural development.
“China and Zimbabwe share a long-standing fraternal friendship. Our bilateral cooperation has yielded consistent, fruitful results across trade, investment, culture, education, and science and technology.
“Always aligned with Zimbabwe’s own development agenda, this cooperation follows a people-centred, practical, and sustainable path.
“This initiative aligns directly with Zimbabwe’s strategic priorities under the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2) and Vision 2030, emphasising ecological restoration, cash-crop upgrading, food security, and rural revitalisation.
“It establishes a high-level, specialised platform for collaborative research between our two countries, facilitating the application of cutting-edge technologies into practical solutions for Zimbabwe’s agricultural modernisation,” Zhou said.
He mentioned that the joint laboratory would enhance farming techniques while promoting the commercialisation of research outputs.
“By leveraging China’s comprehensive industrial chains and extensive market potential, both sides will accelerate the application of research outputs.
“The joint laboratory will aid Zimbabwe in optimising its agro-ecological systems, improving farming techniques, and strengthening the link between sci-tech innovation and value-added processing.
“This strategic cooperation will allow Zimbabwe to benefit fully from China’s zero-tariff policy, thus enhancing our bilateral economic and trade cooperation for mutual gain,” Zhou asserted.
The ambassador highlighted that the partnership also aimed to improve agricultural ecosystems, develop cash-crop industries, and enhance livelihoods.
“Focusing on improving Zimbabwe’s agricultural ecosystems, advancing the high-quality growth of cash crop industries and bettering livelihoods, China has collaborated diligently with Zimbabwe and international partners, including various UN agencies.
“From building poverty reduction demonstration villages to promoting eco-friendly, high-efficiency farming techniques, as well as advancing Juncao technology, promoting climate-resilient crop varieties, and improvements in sustainable soil management, water resources planning, borehole drilling, and irrigation enhancing, these efforts, alongside targeted food security assistance, have steadily fortified national food security and brought tangible improvements to communities across the country,” Zhou elaborated.
He further noted that continuous scientific and technological cooperation has resulted in positive outcomes for both nations.