Africans take Chinese agricultural skills home

Malawians launching local version of Beijing university's 'backyard' program

African students who acquired knowledge through their participation in a Chinese agricultural development program have returned to their home countries, aiming to use what they've learned to help local farmers increase grain yields.

The students participated in the Science and Technology Backyard program, which was launched in 2009 at China Agricultural University in Beijing. During the program, they conducted research in experimental fields in rural areas while working with local farmers and using their acquired knowledge to help Chinese farmers solve agricultural problems.

One of the students, 28-year-old Augustine Talababi Phiri from Malawi, has recently been named head of an STB program in Lisasadzi, Kasungu district, in the central region of the Southeast African country.