Foreign Aid Training | The 2nd MOFCOM African Perennial Rice Technology Training Program Held at BGI
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Introduction
In 2023, under the guidance of the Deliverables List of the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, the promotion of perennial rice technology continued to be included as a core agenda of China–Africa livelihood cooperation. In December 2023, perennial rice technology was incorporated into the African Union’s agricultural technology extension framework, becoming part of the AU Seed and Biotechnology Programme for 2024–2025.
From September 18 to 22, 2024, the first African Perennial Rice Technology Training Program was successfully held at the BGI Space-Time Center. In 2025, China–Africa agricultural cooperation opened a new chapter. The second African Perennial Rice Technology Training Program, hosted by the Academy for International Business Officials (AIBO) of the Ministry of Commerce and supported by the BGI Education Center and BGI Bioverse, was held on May 21 at the BGI Space-Time Center in Shenzhen. A total of 30 agricultural officials and technical professionals from six African countries—Nigeria, Ethiopia, Kenya, Egypt, The Gambia, and Cameroon—embarked on a five-day exploration of perennial rice technology at BGI.
Group photo of participants of the 2nd African Perennial Rice Technology Training Program
Perennial rice is a high-yield crop with perennial characteristics, developed through distant interspecific hybridization between perennial Oryza longistaminata and annual Asian cultivated rice. Since its debut in 2022, perennial rice has undergone multiple trials and promotion efforts across African countries. As an important component of the Belt and Road Initiative, perennial rice is committed to providing food security solutions for African nations.
In May 2022, BGI Bioverse (Shenzhen) and Yunnan University signed a strategic cooperation agreement to establish Shenzhen BGI Cloud Valley Co., Ltd., jointly advancing the research, transformation, and commercialization of perennial rice. BGI has completed genomic maps of perennial rice and its parent Oryza longistaminata using multi-omics technologies, and has applied advanced spatiotemporal omics to uncover the gene regulatory networks underlying rhizome formation. Currently, BGI is integrating hybrid breeding, mutagenesis breeding, exome sequencing, and gene-editing technologies to develop new perennial rice varieties.
Core Training Modules
Participants systematically studied BGI’s multi-omics big data platform and whole-genome design breeding technologies, learning how genomic sequencing enables precise identification of stress resistance and high-yield traits to rapidly develop perennial rice varieties adapted to Africa’s drought-prone and high-rainfall climates. Combined with case studies from multiple African countries, the course demonstrated how these technologies reduce production costs and deliver the key advantage of “one sowing, continuous harvesting for 3–5 years.”
Photos from the first training program
Covering everything from the characteristics of Yunnan University’s 25 varieties to full-cycle field management, the course included:
- Climate adaptation strategies: Differentiated sowing densities and irrigation models designed to address concentrated rainy seasons and poor soils in Africa;
- Green pest management: Reducing pest and disease losses by 30% through biological pesticides and the breeding of disease-resistant varieties.
Perennial rice fields
Perennial rice has undergone multiple rounds of trials and promotion in African countries such as Uganda and Nigeria. This training focused on planting challenges across different African climate zones, proposing localized solutions—such as soil improvement, variety fine-tuning, and innovative irrigation models—to maximize the advantages of “multiple harvests from a single planting.”
Photos from the first training program
Conclusion
A decade of dedication, with the fragrance of rice connecting China and Africa. The 2025 African Perennial Rice Technology Training Program is set to begin, carrying forward the original aspiration of Belt and Road agricultural cooperation and injecting new momentum into Africa’s pursuit of food self-sufficiency through science and technology. This program is not only a transfer of technology, but also a practical action in which China and Africa work hand in hand to address food security challenges.
BGI will continue to build bridges for China–Africa agricultural science and technology cooperation, ensuring that innovation takes root and flourishes. As Professor Hu Fengyi of Yunnan University, the original breeder of perennial rice, once said: “A single seed can change a village; a single technology can nourish a continent.” We look forward to working with global partners to co-create a blueprint for agricultural innovation, allowing stories of abundant harvests to continue across the African continent.