29 Chinese Agriculture Experts and Technicians Deployed in Ethiopia
The South-South Cooperation experts and technicians with the FAO Sub Regional Coordinator for Eastern African and representative to the AU and ECA, Dr.Modibo TraorE and FAO staff
Addis Ababa, June 2013 – 29 of the planned 30 Chinese Agriculture experts and technicians were
deployed in Hawassa, Weliso, Alamata and Debre-Markos to provide technical support to the
Agricultural Growth Project (AGP) to boost Ethiopia’s Agriculture production and productivity through
South-South Cooperation Programme (SSCP).
The Agriculture experts and technicians have qualifications and experiences in small scale irrigation,
agricultural extension, crop production and protection, horticulture development, livestock production,
post-harvest and agro-processing technologies and farm mechanization and will work with farming
communities for two years.
The experts and technicians came to Ethiopia following the tripartite agreement between Ethiopia,
China and FAO on 17April 2012. China donated 1,513,783 USD for a period of two years.
The Project has an overall objective of providing technical assistance to enhance agricultural
production and productivity through the improvement of small-scale irrigation schemes,
strengthening post-harvest technologies and household agro-processing technologies. It is also aimed
at increasing household’s income and attain food security using the Farmer Training Centers as
strategic entry point for effective and efficient agricultural extension system.
Besides these, the program will enable reduce rural poverty and ensure food security of the targeted
population by reducing rural malnutrition rate, increasing cereal and vegetable production, increasing
the net incomes of farmers, increasing the knowledge and skill of small-scale irrigation utilization and
by improving the effectiveness and efficiency of agriculture extension services.
Upon arrival in Ethiopia, the experts and technicians were warmly welcomed by high-ranking officials
of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the Food and
Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
Welcoming the Chinese experts and technicians,
FAO Sub-Regional Coordinator for Eastern Africa
and representative to Ethiopia, African Union and
Economic Commission for Africa, Dr. Modibo Traore
said that FAO expects concrete actions in the field
so that Ethiopian farmers can learn how to improve
their agricultural productivity and production in
sustainable way to alleviate poverty, malnutrition
and food insecurity.
“We cannot imagine how important this mission is
for Ethiopian farmers and government to get this
Dr.Modibo Traore [Right] and Mr.Hassen Ali [left] briefing the Chinese
technicians and experts at FAO Office in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
support from china. It is my hope that you will continue to liaise and support FAO and government of
Ethiopia to bring more technologies and knowledge so that farmers will be able to produce enough
food for themselves, for their families and for the market,” Dr. Traore said. ”We will look forward to an
excellent partnership in the future,”
Mr. WEI Xiangxin who is the Chinese coordinator for
the SSCP sincerely appreciated the warm welcome
and briefing sessions prepared for the experts and
technicians.
“We will make great effort to work with the FAO and
the Ministry of Agriculture of Ethiopia to help the
regions and zones where we will work to fulfill
agriculture growth targets.”
He also told FAO that the mission is committed to
bring concrete changes in the lives of the farmers
The Chinese technicians and experts attending briefing sessions in Ethiopia
they will be working with.
“We hope to combine the knowledge and skills we have with Ethiopian professionals and farmers to
bring the expected change in the AGP of Ethiopia”, he told FAO in an interview. “We will try all our best
to bring change in the lives of Ethiopian farmers by sharing and demonstrating what we know,”
Before departing to their respective duty stations, the experts and technicians were given inductions
on the AGP, FAO Programs and projects in Eastern Africa in general and Ethiopia in particular and
about the social, political and economic situations and living conditions in the country by Mr. Hassen
Ali, Assistant FAO representative to Ethiopia and the respective thematic team leaders and project
coordinator.