NAIROBI, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- At a bustling booth at the seventh CAC Africa Summit in Nairobi, Kenya's capital, Brighton Kisero carefully examined a small bottle of bio-pesticide. For the agrochemical wholesaler, the product stood out not only for its environmentally friendly promise but also for its suitability to Africa's unique soils and climates.
"The efficacy and affordability of Chinese agrochemicals are impressive and could help African farmers increase their productivity," said the 45-year-old Kenyan agribusiness entrepreneur in an interview with Xinhua on Tuesday.
Kisero was among thousands of visitors who crowded into the two-day summit, a key platform for the global agrochemical industry, jointly organized by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Sub-Council of Chemical Industry (CCPIT CHEM), Kenya's Pest Control Products Board (PCPB), and Egerton University.
The event, starting Monday, brought together about 30 exhibitors, mostly from China, who showcased the latest agro-inputs, machinery, and technologies designed to boost food security across Africa.
Jalen Fan, deputy director in Division 1 of CCPIT CHEM, said that China has actively partnered with African countries to raise agricultural productivity through demonstration centers, training programs, and the promotion of improved crop varieties.
"The conference is expected to introduce high-quality agrochemicals, bio-pesticides, and specialty fertilizers, and integrated agricultural technology solutions to the African market and contribute to the bumper harvests as well as sustainable development of local agriculture," Fan said.
For farmers, the event offered more than just product displays -- it provided practical answers to long-standing challenges.
Festus Nyongesa, who runs a 100-acre (about 40.5-hectare) farm in western Kenya, said the exhibition provided a platform to connect with innovators. At the pavilion of China's Hebei Xingbai Agricultural Technology Co., Ltd., he discovered pesticides with low toxicity.
"I have decided to purchase crop protection products from China because they are environmentally friendly and help my produce meet strict international pesticide standards," Nyongesa said.
Shanghai M-Win Chemicals Co., Ltd. was another popular stop for visitors. Esther Kasyoka, a 31-year-old horticultural farmer in eastern Kenya, said the Chinese company's insecticides offered her a solution to persistent pests that have ravaged her mango fruits.
"I have suffered perennial crop losses over the past year as the insecticides I relied on have not been effective," she explained.
Martha Nyokabi, a potato farmer from central Kenya, found hope at the booth of China's Qingdao Higrow Chemicals Company. For years, her yields have been hit by potato blight, a disease marked by water-soaked spots that can wipe out entire harvests.
Mason Zhang, international trade sales manager at Qingdao Higrow Chemicals, said their fungicides, developed with advanced technology, are specifically designed to prevent pathogens from destroying potato crops.
Chinese agrochemicals have gained popularity among Kenyan farmers because they not only cut pest control costs but also help improve incomes, said Barasa Wanyonyi, head of the registration department at the PCPB.
"China is also the largest single contributor to Kenya's pesticide portfolio, both for the conventional and increasingly advanced products, which reflects strong technical cooperation between the two countries," Wanyonyi added.
