China helps construct Agric Technology Centre

College along the Harare-Chinhoyi highway.
This follows China’s pledge at the 2006 Sino-Africa Summit in Beijing where it announced an eight-point plan to set up Agricultural Demonstration Centres in Africa.
The facility at Gwebi is called the Demonstration Centre of China Agricultural Technology in Zimbabwe.
The centre will contribute to increasing food production and alleviate hunger through science and technology transfer, personnel training and co-operation in agriculture.
Speaking at a ceremony to mark the commencement of construction at Gwebi College last year, acting Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Minister Ignatius Chombo said the establishment of the demonstration centre was a unique development and had great potential to increase food security through research and adoption of appropriate technologies.
“China has demonstrated that agricultural production and productivity can be increased through research and development of appropriate technologies.
“It is for this reason that we are grateful to the government of China for the implementation of this project because we would want to see our agricultural production rise,” said Minister Chombo.
“In support of our land reform programme, it is vital that we now extend agricultural training and assist our farmers acquire necessary technical skills and knowledge to make a meaningful contribution.”
Minister Chombo said a number of countries were willing to work with Zimbabwe despite the negative publicity from some international media organisations.
“This is a clear demonstration that a lot of countries are positive about the direction of our country, they are positive about our President and also our Government.”
China’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Mr Xin Shunkang, said the centre, which was one of the 14 similar institutions in the world, would boost the already good bilateral relations between Harare and Beijing.
“China and Zimbabwe enjoy profound relations and we have been working together in the construction of schools in Harare and Bindura and now we are in the process of constructing a hospital in Mahusekwa.
“We have both realised achievements in trade, investment and would like to further our economic relations,” Ambassador Xin said.
The demonstration centre will expose local farmers to high-yielding technologies from China to boost production.
A team of Zimbabwean experts will be trained to manage the centre after the end of the co-operation period of 15 years.
Gwebi principal Dr William Matizha pledged to make it the best demonstration centre in Africa.
“We envisage agricultural students particularly from Gwebi to acquire essential knowledge and skills from the demonstration centre,” said Dr Matizha.