KAMPALA, April 16 (Xinhua) -- China's transfer of skills and technologies is transforming agricultural production in Uganda, demonstrating how Global South countries can accelerate development through South-South cooperation, officials said here on Thursday.
The remarks were made at a review workshop marking the completion of the third phase of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)-China-Uganda South-South Cooperation project.
According to Uganda's Ministry of Agriculture, since the project began in 2012, China has dispatched more than 60 agricultural experts to Uganda to share knowledge and skills with smallholder farmers and local specialists, help Ugandan farmers transition from subsistence to commercial farming, and boost production and household incomes.
Frank Tumwebaze, Uganda's minister of agriculture, animal industry and fisheries, told the meeting that the project demonstrates how Global South countries can collaborate to share knowledge and technology to transform their agrifood systems.
Tumwebaze praised China's cooperation with Africa, saying the project aligns with Uganda's priorities on agro-industrialization, food security and rural livelihoods.
"It supports strategic value chains such as rice, millet, sorghum, chili, livestock and fisheries, which are critical to livelihoods enhancement, food and nutrition security," the minister said.
Ye Anping, director of FAO's South-South and Triangular Cooperation Division, said that amid declining donor support due to the current geopolitical situation, the tripartite project has demonstrated the potential for Global South countries to lift millions out of poverty through the sharing of knowledge and skills.
Wu Xiuqiang, a representative of the Sichuan Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, said the project's three phases have contributed to the modernization and industrialization of Uganda's agricultural sector, while serving as a model for China-Africa agricultural cooperation and broader South-South collaboration.
Fan Xuecheng, charge d'affaires ad interim of the Chinese Embassy in Uganda, said the transfer of knowledge and skills under the project has helped cultivate a new generation of Ugandan agricultural professionals, ensuring that its achievements are locally owned and sustained.
Fan added that more than 100,000 Ugandans have benefited from training and technical support provided by Chinese experts over the years.
Under the project, three agricultural technology transfer hubs were established, focusing on crop varieties, livestock and fisheries.
One key achievement in the crop sector is the introduction of WDR-73, a high-yielding, drought-resistant rice variety now being promoted nationwide, which has benefited nearly 5,000 households and significantly increased both production and average household income.
Robert Sagura, a rice farmer with over 40 years of experience, is among the beneficiaries. He told Xinhua that more than 500 rice farmers in his home district of Butaleja in eastern Uganda have adopted techniques introduced by Chinese experts.
"They gave us new technologies on how to improve our rice farming, such as line transplanting, pest management, and growing high-yielding hybrid rice compared to our local varieties," Sagura said.
"We used to get about 500 kg per acre per season, but now, because of their skills and technology, we can get over 2,000 kg per acre per season," he added.
