China to provide 1 bln RMB of food aid to African countries hit by El Nino: Xi

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday unveiled a China-Africa cooperative plan for agricultural modernization, noting that China is to provide 1 billion RMB (156 million U.S. dollars) of emergent food aid to the African countries hit by El Nino.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of a summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), Xi said China stands ready to share its experience in agricultural development with Africa, and transfer applicable technologies to its African partners.

Experts have warned that food security remains one of the most portent threats to the sustainable development in Africa.

Despite the grim scenario that millions of African people are affected by hunger and malnutrition, scientists believe that the continent has the capacity to feed itself, if governments and the private sector increase investments in research and new technologies to improve food production.

Xi encouraged Chinese enterprises to engage in various areas in Africa, such as large-scale farming, animal husbandry, and grain storage and processing, to increase the local employment and the farmers' income.

The Chinese president also pledged that China is to implement agricultural enriching projects in 100 African villages, send Chinese agricultural experts to Africa, and establish a 10-plus-10 mechanism between Chinese and African agricultural research institutes.

Affected by El Nino, many African countries have suffered poor harvest, worsening food security on the continent.

The Chinese president said China is greatly concerned about the situation, and will provide 1 billion RMB of emergent food aid to those countries.

The Johannesburg meeting is the second summit of the 15-year-old FOCAC, which groups China, 50 African countries that have established diplomatic ties with China, and the Commission of the African Union. Endi