Chinese embassy hosts food security workshop in Sudan

Chinese Embassy in Sudan hosted in Khartoum on Tuesday a workshop on China's experiences in agricultural development and its role in achieving food security in Africa.

The opening session of the two-day workshop was attended by Sudan's State Minister for Agriculture Yaqoub Mohamed Al-Tayeb, Chinese Ambassador in Khartoum Li Lianhe and researchers from China and nine African countries.

"Sudan is keen to achieve food security and it has initiatives in this respect," said Al-Tayeb when addressing the workshop.

He said Sudan government is committed in fully adopting the outcome of the workshop and transforming its recommendations into work programs to promote food security in Africa.

For his part, Li Lianhe reiterated the deeply-rooted historical ties between China and Africa to develop further in all fields.

Li said the experience exchange and mutual cooperation in agriculture and food security area between China and Africa would make essential contribution to the stability and development of the world.

"As an old Chinese saying goes: Food is the first necessity of people," Li said, adding that "China is a traditional agricultural country, with only six percent of fresh water and nine percent of arable land of the world, yet it has managed to provide food for 20 percent of the world population."

The two-day workshop aims to discuss possibility of achieving sustainable agricultural development in Africa via encouraging cooperation between China and African countries.