Sudan and China agree on Bt cotton cooperation

Sudanese Ministry of Agriculture and Chinese Center for transfer of agricultural technologies in Sudan, Al Fao Farmers Council Tuesday agreed to grow genetically engineered Chinese cotton in Al Rahad Agricultural Scheme in the regions of Gadarif and eastern Sudan. The experiment is expected to be generalized in other regions of Sudan.

The Director of Al Rahad Scheme Abdallah Mohamed Ahmed said during the signing ceremony that “the Chinese and Sudanese sides can show the world a model of joint cooperation and can establish strategic agricultural partnership based integrating experience, Chinese technology and Sudan’s potentials during next 50 years.”

He affirmed Sudan’s desire for benefiting from China’s expertise and Sudan’s potentials to bring about speedy integration between the two countries to establish model agricultural relations; in addition to existing strategic relations between them.

For his part, the coordinator of the Chinese Center of Transfer of Agricultural Technologies, Ashmawi Sabir Ali said” “agricultural cooperation between Sudan and China will yield various benefits considering agriculture is Sudan’s key source.”  

The program targets training Sudanese technicians and scientists to acquaint them with agricultural technologies to introduce them in agricultural cycling to help increase crops production.

The director of the Center told Xinhua: “the main objective of the Center is to conduct agricultural research on vast lands; in addition to introduction of modern technologies and application of technologies and transferring them to Sudan.”

"Our program also aims to train Sudanese technicians and scientists and acquaint them with agricultural technologies and ways of introducing them in agricultural cycle to help increase production of crops. We will inaugurate the training program this year,” he added.

The director affirmed the Centers desire for developing agricultural technologies in Sudan in such manner leading to increasing production of various crops.

The program of Chinese Center for Transfer of Agricultural Technologies in Sudan is perceived of as one of most important projects for developing agricultural operations in Sudan. The experiment is expected to be generalized in other regions in Sudan, especially those in want of development of modern agricultural technologies.

Earlier in 2009, at end of a first symposium on agricultural cooperation between the two states, the Sudanese and Chinese sides had signed seven memos of understanding in the field of agricultural cooperation.