China's experience in poverty alleviation valuable to Zimbabwe, says WFP official

HARARE, Feb. 15 (Xinhua) -- Cooperation between the World Food Program (WFP) and China, a country that has eradicated extreme poverty, will enable nations facing food insecurity, like Zimbabwe, to benefit from their experiences, an official has said.

Cooperation between Zimbabwe and China is important, particularly in the agriculture field, Francesca Erdelmann, WFP Zimbabwe representative and country director, told Xinhua recently. She highlighted the need to focus on improving the agricultural skills of smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe, as well as on enhancing value chain development and market linkages.

In 2016, a WFP Center of Excellence was established in China to leverage the country's successful experience in poverty and hunger reduction. The center also aims to promote South-South cooperation to enable other countries to benefit from China's experiences.

Erdelmann said that through the Center of Excellence in China, the WFP has facilitated cooperation between Zimbabwe and China by transferring agricultural skills, knowledge and expertise to Zimbabwean farmers. The initiative aims to enhance food security and end hunger in Zimbabwe.

"We have worked with China on several projects in the past within Zimbabwe, including on agricultural skills development. We see that there is a lot that Zimbabwe can benefit from China especially on smallholder farming, value chain development and market linkages, particularly within the context of climate change," Erdelmann said.

This year, 2.7 million people in rural areas of Zimbabwe, out of a total population of 16 million, are food insecure and will receive emergency food aid from both the government and donor agencies, including the WFP.

The WFP has warned that more people in Zimbabwe are likely to require emergency food aid during the 2024/25 lean season due to the impact of El Nino. The lean season in the country typically begins in October and peaks between January and March.

In February 2021, China announced that extreme poverty in the country had been eradicated. Over the past 40 years, China has lifted nearly 800 million people out of poverty, accounting for more than 75 percent of global poverty reduction in the same period.