The first China-Africa Forum on Tropical Agricultural Science and Technology Cooperation was held in Boao, Hainan province, on Thursday, with more than 100 officials and experts from China and African countries participating and seeking creative and sustainable development in tropical agricultural science and technology cooperation.

The two-day event has a theme of promoting the construction of the China (Hainan) Pilot Free Trade Zone and building a China-Africa scientific community for tropical agriculture. It focuses on China-Africa cooperation in tropical agricultural science and technology innovation, sustainable development of China-Africa tropical agricultural exchanges, upgrading cooperation platforms, and development of China-Africa agricultural and rural human resources.

In a keynote speech addressing the opening ceremony, Li Hongtao, deputy director of the Foreign Economic Cooperation Center of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Areas, said the forum has been arranged to help raise China-Africa cooperation on agricultural science and technology to new heights, strengthen mutual understanding of policies and institutional mechanisms, promote the transfer of scientific and technology achievements, and accelerate the cultivation of talent resources.

Li said that Hainan, with unique tropical agricultural resources, will be a major area for Sino-African agricultural cooperation, where joint efforts can be made in fields such as agricultural science, the development of crop seeds, natural rubber, tropical fruits and woods.

Dr Karangwa Patrick, director general of the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board, said at the opening ceremony that agriculture is an important part of the development of African countries and that many Chinese agricultural scientific and educational institutions and enterprises, including the Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, have been actively involved in supporting the growth of agriculture in African countries. He hoped the forum will strengthen cooperation and help produce a new win-win pattern.

The participants heard four keynote reports and nine subforum reports. They also visited the Qionghai pilot agricultural area for foreign cooperation and a photo exhibition on Sino-African agricultural achievements.

They agreed that the convening of this forum provides a good platform for sharing information and experience on tropical agricultural scientific research. It also helps enrich the content of upcoming Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and opens a new chapter for China-Africa friendship.

On behalf of the Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Vice-President Liu Guodao signed agreements with Zambian and Rwandan officials on scientific and technological cooperation. They also launched the Joint Laboratory of the Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences and the International Centre for Tropical Agriculture.

Liu said the Chinese academy has established long-term cooperation and exchange programs with more than 43 African countries, helping build demonstration centers of agricultural science and technology and training more than 2,300 local talent.

Data from the Ministry of Commerce showed that projects developed by Chinese enterprises have created about 900,000 jobs in African countries since 2015 and the number of technical professionals and officials trained by Chinese institutions both in African countries and China is expected to reach 240,000 by the end of this year.

The meeting was jointly organized by the Foreign Economic Cooperation Center under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the Hainan Provincial Department of Agriculture, the Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences and the People's Government of Qionghai Municipality.