From rice paddies in Africa to farms in Latin America, from hybrid rice to agricultural drones, Chinese technology is taking root on vast lands in southern countries around the world, helping to increase local agricultural production and unleash development potential.

From the optimization of traditional technologies such as crop improvement to the development of cutting-edge technologies such as smart agriculture and artificial intelligence, innovation has continuously expanded the space for agricultural cooperation between China and countries in the global South, providing a realistic path for countries to find a balance between agricultural development and ecological protection.

The proposal for agricultural cooperation in the 15th Five Year Plan has brought new impetus. Many people from countries in the global South believe that deepening cooperation with China in agricultural technology and other fields will not only help better address challenges such as food security and climate change, but also provide more certainty for the development of the global South in the complex and ever-changing international situation.

Chinese technology helps increase agricultural production

In February, which was the summer season in Namibia, Chinese expert in seed system planning for aid to Africa, Chen Kun, squatted in the fields of farmer Lahja Shanika, teaching him step-by-step how to fertilize according to the ratio.

Shanica has been planting millet for many years, but due to poor variety and improper planting methods, the harvest in previous years was meager. Now, thanks to the guidance of Chinese experts, the production of pearl millet he planted has significantly increased. Chen Kun said, "The excellent pearl millet seeds we have selected have full grain and strong drought resistance. Then, we can fertilize them according to the method of 'thin fertilization and frequent application', and the millet ears will grow plump."

After spending several months researching and understanding the livestock production situation in the Karas region of Namibia, livestock expert Chen Haiyan used practical demonstrations to teach technical methods to local farmers. Chinese experts can understand the lessons and the methods are practical, "said local farmer Manirad Leo Swaqbuyi. He strengthened lamb feeding and management according to the learned techniques, and did a good job in parasitic disease prevention and control. As a result, the survival rate of lambs increased from 60% to 80%.

For many years, many Chinese experts have been rooted in the front line, focusing on solving local agricultural development problems in Africa and promoting increased production. At the 64th Special Session on Aid for Trade held by the World Trade Organization in Geneva, Switzerland in November 2025, representatives from African countries stated that China has significantly increased food production and farmers' income in Africa by establishing agricultural technology demonstration centers, disseminating hybrid rice technology and mushroom grass technology, and effectively reflecting the principle of shared development.

Looking at the global South, Chinese agricultural technology is helping many countries overcome common challenges to food security caused by factors such as climate change.

Jamileddin Jompa, President of Hasantin University in Indonesia, said that the hybrid rice technology cooperation project is one of the most concrete and lasting examples of agricultural cooperation between the two countries. This project has established demonstration fields in multiple major rice producing areas in Indonesia to test and improve hybrid varieties. In suitable regions, the yield of hybrid varieties is about 15% to 20% higher than that of traditional self pollinated varieties. The College of Agriculture at the university is working to strengthen cooperation and research with the Chinese side in developing drought and salt tolerant rice varieties.

Hua Yiqing, a Brazilian scholar from Fudan University, said that carrying out agricultural technology cooperation with China can help enhance the production capacity and employment opportunities in rural areas of Brazil, which is of great significance for reducing hunger and poverty in Brazil.

Technological innovation enhances production efficiency

After experiencing drone pesticide spraying services, banana farmer Robinson de Castro from Minas Gerais state, Brazil, purchased a Chinese-made agricultural drone. We used to use tractors for spraying, but it would crush the leaves and fruit clusters, and it may take five days to spray the entire planting area. Using drones can be done in a day, making the spraying faster and more accurate.

De Castro decided to receive training and become a drone pilot. His goal also includes providing drone services to surrounding farms, with plans to recoup costs within two years.

Admar Oliveira, CEO of ADS Drone Company in Brazil, which uses Chinese-made drones to provide technical services such as pesticide spraying, mapping, and remote monitoring for local farms, said that in some areas of Brazil, the terrain is complex and traditional ground machinery is difficult to operate. Drones are an ideal solution to help farmers carry out precise, efficient, and sustainable operations.

Many countries in the global South are actively seeking cooperation with China in fields such as agricultural machinery, smart agriculture, artificial intelligence, and big data. Jompa stated that the integration of advanced technology into agriculture and broader food related fields is increasingly driven by innovation and technology in cooperation between Indonesia and China. For example, Hassantin University has participated in a joint research project on offshore ecological pasture technology between the two countries.

Chinese soil analysis expert Yu Zongyao often travels around the fields in Namibia, tailoring soil improvement plans based on local climate characteristics and establishing a scientific and standardized management system for local soil laboratories. He led the development of a local intelligent farmland management suggestion system, which can automatically generate fertilization and field management suggestions based on soil detection data.

The intelligent management system developed by Chinese experts has effectively solved the problems that our laboratory has long faced, such as difficulty in interpreting laboratory results and difficulty in implementing technology applications. It has played an important role in improving soil management and agricultural technology, "said Beatrix Alwindo, an expert at the Namibian Soil Laboratory.

Genevieve Donnellon May, a researcher at the Oxford Institute of Global Issues in the UK, believes that China's efforts to promote the application of artificial intelligence in agriculture are exactly what southern countries urgently need in terms of improving productivity, reducing food waste, lowering costs, and early detection of crop pests and diseases. As China continues to deepen its cooperation with countries in the global South, this technology can greatly promote agricultural production and food security in relevant countries.

Creating new prospects for cooperation during the 15th Five Year Plan period

This year marks the beginning of the 15th Five Year Plan, and China has become more proactive in expanding high-level opening-up to the outside world, with agricultural cooperation being an important aspect. The "15th Five Year Plan" proposes to expand new cooperation spaces in green development, artificial intelligence, digital economy, health, tourism, agriculture and other fields. This has made people from the global South look forward to strengthening cooperation with China.

Qiongpa believes that China's new five-year plan emphasizes high-quality development, green transformation, and innovation-driven development, which provides inspiration for Indonesia and other developing countries on how to improve productivity while protecting the ecological environment. "I look forward to closer cooperation between Indonesia and China in the future that combines agricultural modernization with environmental sustainability," he said. "The cooperation model between the two countries can bring mutual benefit and win-win results to Indonesia and China while balancing innovation, food security, and ecological responsibility, and provide reference for the sustainable agricultural transformation of countries in the Global South."

The South African independent online news website recently published an article stating that China's experience in high-yield and climate-smart agriculture can provide reference for Africa, helping to enhance food security and development resilience. Against the backdrop of profound global changes, China-Africa cooperation is driving common growth and becoming a new paradigm for global cooperation in the South.

Many people from countries in the global South believe that strengthening cooperation with China in agricultural technology and other fields not only helps to enhance food security resilience, but also provides more development certainty for countries in the global South. Brazilian Minister of Science and Technology Innovation Luciana Santos stated that the cooperation between Brazil and China is based on multilateralism and the concept of win-win, laying a solid foundation for achieving technological independence and deepening bilateral friendship. It is also a vivid manifestation of the deepening and implementation of South-South cooperation in the complex international situation.

Danawa Siriwardanagong, Assistant Professor of Finance at the School of Business Administration of the Agricultural University of Thailand, believes that in the context of rising global uncertainty, green agriculture cooperation will become an important link for China to deepen its partnership with developing countries. He said, "China continues to expand high-level opening up to the outside world and deepen South South cooperation, strengthening cooperation in clean energy, low-carbon transformation, food security, and agricultural technology upgrading, which is conducive to enhancing the independent development capabilities of countries in the global South and accelerating the modernization process. It also demonstrates China's responsibility in promoting global sustainable development."