Burundian president awards Chinese agricultural expert

Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye has presented a certificate of honor to Yang Huade, head of the Chinese agricultural expert team dispatched to aid Burundi, for his outstanding contribution to the development of Burundi's agriculture. 

Yang was awarded at a celebration held by the Burundian government to mark the International Workers' Day at the Umuco stadium in the town of Muyinga in the province of Muyinga, northeast Burundi, on May 2.

Chinese Ambassador to Burundi Zhao Jiangping and all members of the fifth Chinese agricultural expert team to Burundi attended the event.

Ndayishimiye spoke highly of the outstanding contribution of Yang and his teams to the realization of Burundi's vision of agricultural development while presenting the award at the event, appreciating their outstanding achievements in the research and promotion of high-quality rice and other agricultural seeds. The president praised Yang as "a model of service to the Burundian people".

He said Burundi's rice production was continuously low before 2015. At the request of Burundi the Chinese government sent the third, fourth and fifth agricultural expert teams, all led by Yang, to assist Burundi.

After seven years of in-depth field and village research, experimental demonstrations and on-site training, the Chinese agricultural expert teams successfully increased Burundi's rice yield from an average of 3 tons per hectare to 10 tons, achieving a leap forward, he said.

The president also encouraged the Burundian people to learn from the Chinese people, getting rich through hard work and building a prosperous and strong Burundi with their diligence. 

Under the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and in accordance with the agreement between China and Burundi, China has implemented a technical cooperation program for senior agricultural experts in Burundi since August 2009 and has assisted in building an agricultural technology demonstration center. Up to now, five groups of 45 Chinese experts have been sent to Burundi to carry out agricultural technical assistance tasks.

The work of agricultural expert teams in Burundi involved various fields such as rice, fertilizer, agricultural products processing, fruit trees, husbandry and aquatic products. Remarkable results have been achieved in these fields. Especially in the fields of hybrid rice breeding and poverty alleviation in rural areas, the agricultural expert teams have brought advanced experiences and successful practices to the local community, which have been highly appreciated by Burundi's agricultural authorities, local farmers and relevant partners.

The successful implementation of the agricultural expert team project and the efficient operation of the agricultural technology demonstration center have played an important role in improving Burundi's agricultural development, deepening China-Burundi agricultural cooperation, strengthening all-weather friendship and all-round partnership between the two countries, and further consolidating the China-Africa community with a shared future.