Sino-Africa cooperation in agriculture, anchored in technology exchange, peer learning and joint research, has advanced food security and rural development across Africa, experts have said.

Agriculture development with the support of Chinese technologies, innovations, expertise and capital will benefit local communities, economies and ecosystems, said experts attending the inaugural Africa-China Forum on Agri-Tech and Industrial Cooperation, held Tuesday in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital.

The day-long forum was convened by the Nairobi-based Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), Beijing Jingwa Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Center, and the Finance Center for South-South Cooperation.

Senior policymakers, researchers, innovators and entrepreneurs who attended the forum agreed that China is making significant contributions to Africa's quest for agricultural modernization and industrial development.

AGRA Vice President Hamadi Boga said that Sino-Africa agricultural cooperation has rapidly evolved, rooted in the desire to achieve food security, improve rural livelihoods, and boost the export of value-added farm produce.

China has established demonstration zones in Africa, supported joint research and training programs, and deployed new breeding and smart irrigation technologies to boost agricultural yields on the continent, Boga said.

He noted that China's model of agricultural modernization, anchored on policy reforms, advanced breeding technologies, digital extension services and value addition, is an example for African countries to follow in their quest to improve yields among smallholder farmers.

Cheng Enjiang, deputy director-general of the Finance Center for South-South Cooperation, said that China has provided experience for Africa to leapfrog from subsistence to industrial farming, driven by policy reforms, sustained investment and the development of climate-resilient crop varieties.

According to Cheng, a supportive policy and regulatory environment is essential to facilitating the transfer of agricultural technology and innovations from China to Africa, particularly those tailored to smallholder farmers.

Steven Were Omamo, director of development strategies and governance and director for Africa at the International Food Policy Research Institute, said the continent needs China's advanced technologies in weather forecasting, post-harvest storage, disease surveillance, and pest management in order to boost yields.

Omamo called for Sino-Africa collaboration in harnessing artificial intelligence, vocational training for farmers, and sharing expertise in rolling out smart subsidies and reforming public procurement in a bid to improve the continent's food systems and enhance their competitiveness.