China extends helping hands abroad

[Martian2]

Yuan Longping, "The Father of Hybrid Rice"

"Super rice yield 3 times higher than the normal rice"

China extends helping hands abroad

"China extends helping hands abroad
English.news.cn 2010-07-30 08:33:21

Huang Dahui (in white shirt), a hybrid rice scientist, is seen with his students at the Booker Washington Institute in Liberia in October 2005. Huang was chief of the Chinese agriculture assistance team to Liberia, teaching locals how to grow hybrid rice. (Photo: China Daily)

BEIJING, July 30 (Xinhuanet) -- China has provided aid to more than 160 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and in the South Pacific since 1950.

The nearly 2,000 aid projects include agriculture, construction, transport, medical care and education, according to figures from the Ministry of Commerce.

In addition to the money and materials that have been sent to these countries and regions, China has also provided foreign aid experts, among them a doctor, a rice expert and an engineer. [I omitted the doctor and engineer profiles from this long article.]

Rice to feed the world

Huang Dahui's tan and the scars on his hands are the result of years of work in fields all around the world.

The 45-year-old professor is the chief training officer with the China-aid Hybrid Rice Technology Training Center, based in Changsha, capital of Hunan province.

Hybrid rice is produced by crossbreeding different varieties of rice and much of the research was originally done in the 1970s by the man known as the "Father of Hybrid Rice" Yuan Longping.

His work in China helped significantly increase rice output and allowed 20 percent of the world's population to feed itself with just 7 percent of the world's farmland.

Huang, a former student of Yuan, has helped people in eight countries breed China's hybrid rice since 1996.

"Our goal is to eliminate hunger on Earth," Huang said in his simple office before giving a lecture to students from Asia, Africa and Latin America.

"Students don't need to pay anything and get a daily subsidy for meals and lodging. Lessons are offered in English, French and Portuguese," Huang said.

Teaching is all very well, but fieldwork, literally, is most important, said Huang, who taught hybrid rice seed selection in the United States from 1996 to 1999. Since then he has worked in Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Thailand, Liberia, Uzbekistan and India.

"Over the past 15 years a quarter of that time has been spent in foreign lands," Huang said.

More than 120 countries currently grow rice, and about 50 of them have introduced Chinese hybrid rice, Huang said.

"If rice-growing countries planted 50 percent more hybrid rice, food would not be scarce," he said.

Converting these countries to his cause is not an easy task, however, and working in mainly tropical countries means he has had to contend with high temperatures, up to 47 C in India.

Another difficulty is staying healthy. During Huang's stay in Sri Lanka there was dengue fever and he was the only one to stay and complete the training plan.

Long working hours and irregular meals are another facet of his work.

"In Indonesia, we had to wake up at around 6 am and have breakfast at 7. The next meal would be at 4 pm. We were often hungry," he said.

Huang's reward is when his international students pay their respects. He is also grateful that his wife has been supportive. He said his first marriage failed because he was away from home so often.

'I'm glad that I have been involved in foreign aid. It's a meaningful job with a great sense of achievement and I would do it again given the chance.'"

 

[Jacobtheindoamerican]

India should use it..

 

[nanmun]

Awesome ... this would solve food problem in many countries

These kind of innovations are needed in today's world~~

 

[chauism]

He is a living proof of how biased Nobel Prize is.

Norman Borlaug won Nobel Prize for his work with improved wheat. Yuan Longping never got any international recognition for his innovative of Hybrid Rice.

I guess the difference here is Hybrid Rice did not save enough white people from hunger.

 

[Kyusuibu Honbu]

He is a living proof of how biased Nobel Prize is.

Norman Borlaug won Nobel Prize for his work with improved wheat. Yuan Longping never got any international recognition for his innovative of Hybrid Rice.

I guess the difference here is Hybrid Rice did not save enough white people from hunger.

Why go that far when a guy like Henry Kissinger can win a Nobel Peace Prize.

ontopic
Good work by Mr.Huang .

Hope he can solve the another part of the problem too i.e cheap and efficient storage for the harvest.

 

[Martian2]

Daily Nation: - News |China technology to boost Africa's food production

"China technology to boost Africa's food production
By VPPS
Posted Thursday, August 12 2010 at 11:45
BEIJING, Thursday

Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka. Photo/FILE

China has agreed to transfer her agricultural technology to Africa to enable the continent boost production and thereby guarantee world food.

The Beijing declaration for the massive agricultural technology transfer came as the China-Africa Agricultural Forum, in which Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka represented Kenya, drew to a close today.

The declaration called for a leap in Africa’s agricultural output by transforming its rural agriculture through infusion of Chinese agricultural characteristics.

This will involve rural farmer education, setting up of modern farming demonstration centres, use of better quality seeds, and new technology in appropriate farming machinery as well as soil improvement techniques.

Kenya's Vice President said the 21st century belonged to Africa and he was confident that the continent will transform her economies to the extent of helping feed the rest of the world.

Reading the declaration, the China's deputy Prime Minister Mr Hui Liangyu said global food security should be the Number One priority of world governments, given that acute food shortages were bound to lead to food crisis hence social and political instability.

“China is the largest developing economy able to feed 20 per cent of the world’s population on proceeds of 9 per cent of the planets arable land. If we partner with Africa with a much higher percentage of arable land yet contains most of the developing countries we should be able to guarantee international food security,” he said.

He added that whereas China has the technological advantage, Africa was blessed with arable land and a better climate.

Later, Mr Musyoka met with leaders of major Chinese firms doing business in the African continent. In his meeting with the Chairman of the board of Sino Hydro a major player in the power generation and dam and roads construction, the Vice President said modernisation of Kenya’s infrastructure was a key objective in the realisation of Vision 2030.

He urged them to seek to be involved in Kenya’s reconstruction efforts.

Board chairman Huang Baodong said his firm has operations in 24 African countries including Kenya where they are involved on the Thika Road superhighway project among others adding that his firm was driven by the objective of quality service within set timelines.

Mr Musyoka also held discussions with officials of China roads and bridges co-operations."

 

[no_name]

Good work. It would be also nice to have different types of hybrid rice developed so there is more genetic diversity in case of crop diseases.

Since africa lacks infrastructure and high tech industry to boost living standards it is a good idea to develop their agricultural sector and create surplus for export. This will bring much needed capital and investment.

 

[chauism]

Good work. It would be also nice to have different types of hybrid rice developed so there is more genetic diversity in case of crop diseases.

Since africa lacks infrastructure and high tech industry to boost living standards it is a good idea to develop their agricultural sector and create surplus for export. This will bring much needed capital and investment.

That is a wishful thinking, the problem with Africa's agriculture sector is not because they don't know how to grow crop. It is because of the competition of subsidized agriculture products from those developed countries. Africans will be lucky if they can compete with those from developed countries at their home market let alone export.
How Northern subsidies hurt Africa

How Northern subsidies hurt Africa

By Richard Mshomba *

One of the many economic differences between developed and developing countries is that developed countries subsidize farmers while developing countries tax farmers. But what do agricultural subsidies in Canada, Japan, the US or the European Union (EU) have to do with Africa? Everything.

Developed countries subsidize their farmers at a rate of about $250 bn a year, 25 times more than the annual amount the UN estimates is needed worldwide to combat HIV/AIDS. Subsidies influence world prices, since they encourage farmers in developed countries to export more agricultural products than they would otherwise. Therefore, agricultural policies in developed countries should be of great interest to Africa and the rest of the world.

Agriculture has been -- and in the foreseeable future will continue to be -- the backbone of sub-Saharan Africa's economy. The sector employs about 70 per cent of the labour force. Agriculture is the main generator of export revenue in the region.

Cotton farmers in Burkina Faso: World prices are depressed.

Photo : ©Jorgen Schytte

Agricultural subsidies in developed countries reduce world prices, and thus the incomes of African farmers. World Bank studies suggest that US subsidies alone reduce West Africa's annual revenue from cotton exports by $250 mn a year. The EU also heavily subsidizes its farmers. The EU, which by the dictates of comparative advantage would be a net importer of many agricultural products, is the second largest exporter (after the US) of agricultural produce.

In 1993, during the last days of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), the predecessor of the World Trade Organization (WTO), an agreement was reached requiring developed countries to reduce agricultural subsidies. However, even at the time of the agreement, it was clear that it had many loopholes and that only modest reductions in subsidies could be expected.

Worse still, countries were left with broad discretion that allowed them to increase subsidies on "sensitive" commodities. In practice, this refers to those commodities whose producers have strong political clout.

In May 2002, US President George Bush signed a farm bill that would increase subsidies by $83 bn over a period of 10 years. This will raise subsidies to cotton growers by more than 60 per cent. Therefore, other things being equal, cotton producers in East and West Africa and other developing areas should not expect the world price of cotton to go up anytime soon.

It is possible that the damage caused by agricultural subsidies in the US to African countries exceeds even the benefits that might come from the African Growth and Opportunity Act that gives African products preferential access to the US market.

African countries must continue to challenge the US and other developed countries to reduce agricultural subsidies. Agricultural subsidies in developed countries may seem good to importers of food. But in reality, some of those countries are food importers in part because of the subsidies. African countries must remember that higher world prices of agricultural products would encourage their own farmers to produce more, with the potential for their countries to become exporters of food. With that in mind, African countries must also continue to reduce domestic taxes on farmers.

 

[no_name]

Wasn't aware of the above. Modernising agricultural technologies and techniques in africa is still good because even if the crops are unable to export the increased yield will mean that less percentage of the population need to work on farms, so household with more than one kids may be able to send some of them to achieve higher education. This coupled with transfer of technology and manufacturing opportunities will still benefit africa.

Infact why not have a system whereby farmers gave some of their surplus to government in return for free education for their children.

 

[Martian2]

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (R) meets with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, Nov. 8, 2009. (Xinhua/Li Tao)

China's measure #3 is the most impressive: "Third, China will help Africa build up financing capacity. China would provide US$10 billion in concessional loans to African countries, and support Chinese financial institutions in setting up a special loan of US$1 billion for small- and medium-sized African businesses. For the heavily indebted countries and least developed countries in Africa having diplomatic relations with China, China would cancel their debts associated with interest-free government loans due to mature by the end of 2009."

http://www.china-wire.org » Eight new measures to enhance co-op with Africa

"Eight new measures to enhance co-op with Africa
November 08th, 2009 | Xinhua

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Sunday announced eight new measures the Chinese government will take to strengthen China-Africa cooperation in the next three years.

Eight new measures to enhance co-op with Africa
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao speaks at the opening ceremony of the Fourth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, November 8, 2009. [Xinhua]

Wen announced the measures while addressing the opening ceremony of the Fourth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.

The eight new measures, succeeding the eight measures put forward by Chinese President Hu Jintao at the landmark Beijing Summit of the FOCAC in 2006, are aimed at pushing forward China-Africa cooperation in the next three years.

“The Chinese people cherish sincere friendship towards the African people, and China’s support to Africa’s development is concrete and real,” said the premier.

“Whatever change may take place in the world … our policy of supporting Africa’s economic and social development will not change,” Wen said.

As the first of the eight new measures, China proposes to establish a China-Africa partnership in addressing climate change. China would enhance cooperation on satellite weather monitoring, development and utilization of new energy sources, prevention and control of desertification and urban environmental protection. China has decided to build 100 clean energy projects for Africa covering solar power, bio-gas and small hydro-power.

Second, China will enhance cooperation with Africa in science and technology. China proposes to launch a China-Africa science and technology partnership, under which China would carry out 100 joint demonstration projects with Africa on scientific and technological research and receive 100 African postdoctoral fellows to conduct scientific research in China.

Third, China will help Africa build up financing capacity. China would provide US$10 billion in concessional loans to African countries, and support Chinese financial institutions in setting up a special loan of US$1 billion for small- and medium-sized African businesses. For the heavily indebted countries and least developed countries in Africa having diplomatic relations with China, China would cancel their debts associated with interest-free government loans due to mature by the end of 2009.

Fourth, China will further open up its market to African products. China would phase in zero-tariff treatment to 95 percent of the products from the least developed African countries having diplomatic relations with China, starting with 60 percent of the products within 2010.

Fifth, China will further enhance cooperation with Africa in agriculture. China would increase the number of its agricultural technology demonstration centers in Africa to 20, send 50 agricultural technology teams to Africa and train 2,000 agricultural technology personnel for Africa, in order to help boost the continent’s food security.

Sixth, China will deepen cooperation in medical care and health. China would provide medical equipment and anti-malaria materials worth 500 million yuan (US$73.2 million) to the 30 hospitals and 30 malaria prevention and treatment centers built by China and train 3,000 doctors and nurses for Africa.

Seventh, China will enhance cooperation in human resources development and education. China would build 50 schools and train 1,500 school principals and teachers for African countries. By 2012, China would increase the number of Chinese government scholarships to Africa to 5,500, and would also train 20,000 professionals for Africa over the next three years.

Eighth, China will expand people-to-people and cultural exchanges. China proposes to launch a China-Africa joint research and exchange program to increase exchanges and cooperation, share development experience, and provide intellectual support for formulating better cooperation policies by the two sides."

 

[Martian2]

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (R) meets with Sudanese President Omer al- Bashir in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, on Nov. 7, 2009. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei)

"Sudanese-Chinese Friendship Bridge opened on January 17 2008 in Merowe, where the dam will be built."

Sudanese-Chinese friendship bridge spans over Nile River

"Sudanese-Chinese friendship bridge spans over Nile River

Like many Africans, Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir tends to express his happiness and excitement with dance. Yet as Sudan's president, he is seldom seen dancing in public.

On Thursday morning, a smiling and relaxed al-Bashir was dancing with a crowd of his fellow countrymen, who were celebrating the completion of the Bridge of the Chinese-Sudanese Friendship in this Nile riverside town of Merowe, about 350 km north of the Sudanese capital Khartoum.

"This is an important achievement," al-Bashir told the inauguration ceremony of the 440-meter bridge, which is the only one spanning over the world's longest river in the section between Khartoum and the Sudanese-Egyptian border.

"With China's help, with the endeavor of the Sudanese people, Sudan will certainly score glorious achievements one after another along our path of construction and development," the president added.

Al-Bashir's statements won loud and lasting applause from tens of thousands of local people, who were gathering from nearby towns and villages at both sides of the Nile River to attend the ceremony.

Locals took on white or brightly colorful dresses, which they often use at various festivals, to celebrate the occasion, which marks a historic end to the painful inconvenience of no bridge for nearby areas.

With infectious smiles in the face, some were singing and dancing, some were beating drums, and others were playing traditional musical instruments.

Chinese Ambassador in Sudan, Li Chengwen, said told the ceremony that the bridge was another symbol of the deepened friendship between China and Sudan.

"The Chinese government and its people both wish Sudan to continue realizing development and prosperity, and will continue to provide various kinds of assistance to Sudan in this regard," said the ambassador.

The 20-meter wide bridge links Merowe on the eastern bank of the Nile River to Karima on the other side.

"The completion of the bridge will greatly facilitate transportation and traffic for local residents on both banks of the Nile River," Merowe mayor Sarah Ali Ahmed said, adding that there was a total population of some 1.5 million in Merowe and nearby towns.

The bridge will not only make Merowe center of a local road network in northern Sudan, but also enhance economic and tourism developments for Merowe, which is the oldest city in Sudan with a history of some 5,000 thousand years, said the beaming mayor.

Around Merowe, there are some pyramids and ruins of palaces which could be dated back to 3,000 B.C., but such tourism resources had gone basically untapped for many years because of the limitation of poor transportation, said Ahmed.

"The Bridge of the Chinese-Sudanese Friendship is really a bridge extending between the peoples of the two countries," Ahmed told Xinhua.

Friendship between Sudan and China has been deeply rooted thanks to the efforts exerted by their leadership and peoples, he added.

A teacher at Merowe's high school echoed the mayor's sentiments. "The bridge is a best gift given by the Chinese people to the Sudanese people," he said.

Construction of the bridge, which started in May of 2004, was also implemented by a Chinese construction contractor called China's Jilin International Economic and Technical Corp.

Guo Jinwei, the contractor's general manager, told Xinhua that Sudanese and Chinese constructors had not only jointly built this landmark bridge, but also fostered good friendship during the past three years when they overcame many difficulties, including sand storms and extremely hot weather, to complete the project with high quality.

The bridge was built at a [friendship] cost of 20 million U.S. dollars, half of which was donated by the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), China's biggest oil and gas producer.

Qin Anjiang, CNPC's representative who participated in the ceremony, said that it was one of the donations made by the CNPC to the Sudanese people since it came to Sudan some ten years ago.

The CNPC, which has been actively involved in Sudan's energy industry development, had donated more than 45 million U.S. dollars to the Sudanese people in the education, cultural, agricultural, transportation and medical fields, said Qin.

"The facts have proved that both China and Sudan are winners of the cooperation in the oil field, which has deepened our friendship and consolidated our cooperation in other fields," he concluded.

Source: Xinhua"

 

[Martian2]

Feature: Sudan hails world's longest dam_English_Xinhua

"Feature: Sudan hails world's longest dam
XINHUANEWS 2009-03-04 08:02:34
by Chen Gongzheng, Shao Jie

"Local people come to attend the celebration as the Merowe Dame began to generate electricity at Merowe, Sudan on Mar. 3, 2009. Merowe Dam, the longest of its kind on the world famous Nile river in Sudan's Northern province, some 450 km north of the capital city Khartoum. With a total span of 9.7 km and a maximum height of 67 meters, the Merowe Dam is a multipurpose project designed for power supply and agricultural irrigation. It has a 1.24-billion-cubic-meter reservoir that could help more than 4 million local residents living along the Nile. The dam was built by a joint venture formed by China Water Resources and Hydropower and China International Water and Electric Corp. (Xinhua/Zhai Xi)"

MEROWE, Sudan, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Squinting amid the dazzling sunshine on the brink of the Sahara Desert, Asem Khalil Idris tried to get a clear view of President Omar al-Bahir, who was addressing a crowd at the inauguration ceremony for Merowe Dam, the country's largest hydropower project.

"The power from the dam will create a lot of work opportunities," Asem, 39, a local resident coming from the Wadi Halfa town, said on Wednesday morning.

"Before today, We had to rely on diesel-fueled generators, which is noisy and very inconvenient," he said, adding that "we will have a more colorful life with less blackouts thanks to the president and the dam's builders, and the fruit trees and vegetable planted in my town will get the badly-needed irrigation."

As Bashir signed a takeover paper at noon, siren resounded over the huge dam and the vast artificial lake that has moistened the local air over the arid desert, marking the official start of power generation of the project.

"Photo taken on Mar. 3, 2009 shows a scene of the Merowe Dam in Merowe, Sudan, Mar. 3, 2009. (Xinhua/Zhai Xi)"

The 9.7-km dam is the longest one in the world with a total capacity of 1.25 million kilowatt, twice as much as Sudan's existing power supply.

Wielding his stick, encircled by entourages, Bashir danced to the rhythm of a 30-minute folk song on a table on a improvised platform. The president's trademark style was applauded by a crowd, who raised a forest of arms and chanted religious slogans.

"It's an important day and we got it finally," said Rashid in the crowd, who clapped his hands jubilantly in the crowd as the voluble president made statements and danced. "But I have not decided where to go after the dam."

Rashid, in his forties, a veteran driver, who has worked for CCMD JV, a Chinese joint venture that built the dam, for some five years.

"I hope it's not my last drive to Merowe," Rashid said with a little blue earlier on our way to the remote dam, some 450-km north of the capital city Khartoum.

The SUV took a U-turn at an intersection, where scores of people were standing on the roadside of a small town with various banners in their hands.

"This town is a local tourist attraction," Rashid said, "they are advertising for their town and the banner reads 'great place, good price' in Arabic."

A man holding a portrait of Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir (R2, front) attends a ceremony at Merowe Dam in Merowe, Sudan, Mar. 3, 2009. (Xinhua/Zhai Xi)

"CCMD (JV) rebuilt the desert road to Merowe for material transportation, and those people want to make more money because it saves a lot of time for the tourists coming from the capital," he said while flooring the accelerator pedal of the vehicle, which rustled through the strong north wind.

"It's a state-of-the-art project," said Wu Xiguo, chief engineer and deputy manager of the dam. "We won the contract at a much [more] reasonable price and finished it on time."

"The biggest challenge is the climate of Merowe," said Wu, who has got a good tan at the dam in the past six years. "The average temperature is about 40 degrees and some of my friends got malaria in the mosquito-ridden area."

"Another problem is the lack of resources," he added, "We came here in July 2003 and found nothing except the river and the infertile Sahara, so we have to import nearly everything, including toothpaste."

He said that the dam's eight 350-ton super cranes, dubbed "Gate Machine" in their jargon, were all shipped from China.

"But it pays, it will stand on the river for at least 100 years and some 4 million Sudanese people, or more than one-tenth of the total population, will benefit from the dam's irrigation system and power supply," he said.

Editor: Xiong Tong"

 

[Brotherhood]

Hybrid rice to popularize on global scale - People's Daily Online August 19, 2010

China developed its first hybrid rice in the 1970s, which helped raise its food grain output on a significant scale, and contributed to some Asian and African nations in ending their grain deficiency to some extent.

Professor Yuan Rongping, director of the China National Hybrid Rice Research and Development Center (CNHRRDC), and known as a "father of the hybrid rice", started working on hybrid rice in 1964 and developed the world's first hybrid rice and, in 1976, hybrid rice began spreading on a large scale in China, which was the first nation to succeed in taking advantages of different hybrid rice species. Hybrid rice is also called the "Oriental Magic Rice" for its higher per-hectare yields than that for conventional rice seeds.

The hybrid rice was transferred as China's first agro-technology patent to the United States in 1979 and, since 1995 the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) have selected a total of 15 countries for assistance funding to popularize hybrid rice. FAO first introduced the large acreage hybrid rice growing to India and Vietnam.

In their talks with their Chinese counterparts, leaders of Southeast Asian nations often asked China to help them with hybrid rice technology for bilateral agricultural cooperation. In May 2000, Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo inspected China's fine hybrid rice species exhibition field nursed by Chinese experts, and she soon urged her people to grow hybrid rice. Hence, Professor Yuan was invited to visit the country twice as guests of the Philippine government.

The UNFAO invited Professor and Academician Yuan as chief consultant for the FAO to share his expertise and knowledge with workers from other countries, and more than 10 experts from the Hunan Hybrid Rice Institute, China's top institution in the field of hybrid rice research work, or the CNHRRDC, as international technological advisers. In 1994, China started to cooperate with American Rice Inc. and sent experts to give lectures there, so as to help promote the spread of hybrid rice in the Americas.

Moreover, Chinese hybrid rice experts have time and again gone to such Asian nations as India, Vietnam, Myanmar and Bangladesh, to offer technical guidance. Meanwhile, some 40 international hybrid rice training session were held in Changsha, where the CNHRRDC is located, to help train at lease 1,000 special professionals for more than 30 countries in Southeast Asia, South Asia and Africa.

By the end of 2009, there were 3 million hybrid rice sown hectares outside China. After its initial success in breeding or growing hybrid rice in 1992, Vietnam has extended the acreage under hybrid rice from 11,000 hectares in 1992, to 600,000 hectares in 2003 and 670,000 hectares in 2008.

In 2001, China experimented with and demonstrated the hybrid rice breeding in Pakistan, and "hybrid rice" yields were 30 percent higher yield than those of local common rice strains. Moreover, such Asian and African nations as Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and South Africa have all succeeded with the hybrid rice growing.

To date, hybrid rice has been introduced to approximately 110 countries, and the total area planted to hybrid rice outside China however reached only 3 million hectares. So, the development of China's hybrid rice abroad is still in a primary state with a limited scale, and the global annual sales of export hybrid rice seeds is merely about 15,000 tons, mainly in Vietnam, Bangladesh, Pakistan and other Asian nations. In an effort to further spread hybrid rice worldwide, a lengthy circle, a costly input, policy restriction and trade barriers are involved, and these problems demand urgent solutions.

Author: Liao Fuming and Luo Runliang People's Daily August 19
Translator: Miao Baogen

 

[CardSharp]

Will India adopt China's rice-farm model?

 

[Brotherhood]

Hybrid rice can 'feed the world' - People's Daily Online September 09, 2010

Renowned agriculture scientist Yuan Longping receives a scroll with a giant Chinese character for "longevity" as a birthday gift on Wednesday on the sidelines of the 21st Century Forum. (Feng Yongbin / China Daily)

Yuan Longping, known as the "Father of Hybrid Rice", said on Wednesday that he hopes that in 2020, when he turns 90, he can create a new version of hybrid rice yielding about 15 tons of rice per hectare.

Yuan, a renowned agriculture scientist who celebrated his 80th birthday on Monday, said he now has two wishes, both concerning his life's work - the hybrid rice that he originally created in the 1970s.

"First, I wish that by 2012, my team and I can complete the Phase-III super hybrid rice, which is expected to yield 13.5 tons of rice per hectare. I hope I can live another 10 years until 2020. By then the yield will be improved to 15 tons per hectare," Yuan said at the 21st Century Forum in Beijing.

"Second, I wish that hybrid rice will be spread all around the world to solve the problems of hunger and ensure food security worldwide," he said.
Hybrid rice is produced by crossbreeding different varieties of rice. The second-generation super hybrid, which was released commercially in 2006, can yield 9 tons of rice per hectare on average.

Hybrid rice in China has significantly helped increase rice output and allowed 20 percent of the world's population to feed itself with just 7 percent of world's farmland, Yuan said at the forum.

"The increase of rice output plays a key role in ensuring food security and reducing poverty worldwide, and the most effective experience in increasing rice output is China's work on hybrid rice," Yuan said.

"We are fully prepared and willing to help other countries with food issues by growing hybrid rice," Yuan said.

China is now planting 440 million mu, or 29 million hectares, of rice every year, with an average output capacity of 6.3 tons per hectare.

Hybrid rice accounts for about 57 percent of the total acreage, with an average output capacity of 7.2 tons per hectare, according to Yuan's presentation.

"The average yield of hybrid rice is at least 20 percent more than that of inbred rice, feeding 70 million more Chinese people annually," Yuan said.

"If 50 percent of the world's rice paddies were planted with hybrids, rice production could increase by another 150 million tons, and 400 to 500 million more people could be fed."

Statistics from the United Nations show that about 1 billion people are suffering from hunger and malnutrition. Every six seconds, a child dies of hunger or related diseases.

Yuan's consistent contribution to the country has won him wide respect in China. Many people have sent him wishes of health and longevity through the Internet since August.

"He fed one-fifth of the world's population. If he applied for patents, he might be the richest man in China, but he never did it and is still living a simple life," reads a post at Sina.com, one of the country's most popular web portals.

Premier Wen Jiabao also wrote to Yuan on Monday to congratulate him on his birthday, in which Wen said Yuan's extraordinary accomplishments not only belong to China, but also exert influence on the world.

By Wang Jingqiong, China Daily