MAPUTO, March 30 (Xinhua) -- At the Umbeluzi Agricultural Station in Maputo Province, Mozambique, vast rice fields have entered the harvest season. Golden rice panicles sway gently in the breeze as two small harvesters move across the fields, presenting a vivid scene of abundance.
The site is a comprehensive rice production base jointly established by the fourth batch of Chinese agricultural experts assisting Mozambique and the Mozambique Agricultural Research Institute (IIAM). It focuses on high-yield rice demonstration, variety trials, seed breeding, and the promotion of field management techniques.
"From land preparation and seedling cultivation to fertilization and pest control, Chinese experts have introduced a complete set of systematic cultivation techniques," said Tito Chimbamba, an agricultural technician at the Umbeluzi station. With guidance from Chinese experts, he has mastered key rice farming skills and learned to operate and maintain various agricultural machines.
Li Yuhao, a rice and agro-processing expert with the Chinese agricultural team, said preliminary yield estimates show that rice output in the demonstration fields has exceeded 8 tonnes per hectare, significantly higher than traditional local levels, while some high-yield plots have surpassed 10 tonnes per hectare.
In addition to rice, oil crops are another important focus of China-Mozambique agricultural cooperation. Sesame and sunflower, both traditional oil crops in Mozambique, have seen steady export growth in recent years and have become important sources of foreign exchange. Sunflower, in particular, is widely regarded as having strong potential for import substitution.
The Chinese agricultural team has established demonstration bases for oil crops, collecting high-quality hybrid varieties and promoting advanced techniques such as seed treatment, integrated pest and weed management, and foliar fertilization during key growth stages, aiming to improve yields and support industry development.
"We have collected 68 hybrid varieties of sunflower, sesame and soybean, and are conducting comparative trials with local varieties to identify those best suited to local conditions," said Zhao Jun, an oil crop expert. She added that the promotion of these improved varieties and efficient cultivation techniques will help increase farmers' incomes and provide technical support for scaling up the oil crop sector.
Seed quality is fundamental to agricultural development. Wu Guiyun, a seed production and quality testing expert with the Chinese team, said a seed laboratory has been established at the Umbeluzi station, integrating testing services, technical support, talent training and external exchanges, significantly enhancing local seed quality management capacity.
"The laboratory has helped address the shortage of seed testing capacity in the region," Wu said. In one case, rice samples submitted from another agricultural station initially showed a germination rate below standard.
Further analysis revealed that a high level of seed dormancy was the main cause. The laboratory then proposed technical measures such as high-temperature sun-drying, providing a practical solution for seed utilization.
Technology transfer remains a core goal of China-Mozambique agricultural cooperation. Over the past three years, the expert team has trained more than 1,000 local agricultural technicians, farmers and students.
Relying on the demonstration base, it has also provided a platform for university students to engage in research and practical training, promoting the localization of efficient rice and oil crop cultivation technologies.
Meanwhile, the demonstration base and seed laboratory have attracted visits and exchanges from agricultural experts and students from multiple countries, gradually becoming an important hub for regional agricultural technology dissemination and talent cultivation.
As an important component of bilateral cooperation, Chinese agricultural experts continue to support Mozambique in improving agricultural productivity and efficiency, enhancing food production capacity, and contributing to food security and agricultural development.
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