Yesterday Minister Didiza attended the 1st Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Agriculture (FOCACA). The meeting is held in Sanya, China under the theme "Join Hands for Sustainable Development and a closer New-type China-Africa Partnership in Agriculture”.
FOCACA trails the 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) chaired by President Ramaphosa and President Xi Jinping in September 2018 which resolved in its action plan to promote steady development of the China-Africa Agricultural Cooperation.
The 1st FOCACA focused on deepening of China-Africa Cooperation in Agriculture and the establishment of a closer new-type China-Africa partnership in agriculture, in support of Africa realising general food security by 2030. The Forum also discussed modern approaches aimed at addressing food security challenges and exchanged views on potential measures designed towards attaining sustainable agricultural development.
China-Africa cooperation in agriculture sets a prime example of sound South-South Cooperation. China and Africa have similar agricultural background and foundation, therefore the opportunity to conduct result-oriented cooperation through the comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership is suitably timed.
Since the Beijing Summit in 2018 a range of bilateral cooperation programmes have taken place including technical and capacity building initiatives. South Africa has also benefited in such programmes with scholarships, which has seen South African students studying agriculture and related fields in China.
In terms of trade, South Africa has also had further market access to China for South Africa's agriculture commodities. Further work on the agricultural trade is unfolding with South Africa expecting to conclude new protocols on exports of South African agricultural commodities to China.
It is the hope of Minister Didiza that this inaugural meeting of FOCACA will increase strategic relationships between South Africa, Africa and China.
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