Lifeisaprocessofself-improvement.Africa,despiteitstrulychallengingconditions,isaplacewhereourvalueoflifecanbebetterrealized.
HuHuojin,aChineseagriculturalexpertinEthiopia
LuoXueyiexplainsthemethodofricecultivationtolocaltechniciansThearrivalofChineseagriculturalexperts,HuHuojinandLuoXueyi,wasasavinggraceforWererinthetownofAmibarainnortheastEthiopia’sAfarRegion,277kmfromthecapitalofAddisAbaba.Inlessthanayear,theWererareahasbeentransformedbythediversificationofitsirrigationfields,increaseddrainagechannels,andpaddyricecultivation.
Withannualaveragetemperaturesof27.6degreesCelsiusandanannualrainfallof570mm,hightemperaturescombinedwithlowprecipitationhasrestrictedtheagriculturaldevelopmentinthearea.However,AwashRiver,thelongestandlargestinlandriverinEthiopia,passesthroughWererandisaccessibleallyearround.Theriverisaresourceforthelocalcommunity,providingfeedforlivestockandproducessuitableconditionsforricecultivation.
“WhenwearrivedhereinMaylastyear,wefoundthatifthelocalnaturalconditionscouldbefullymadeuseof,itisafeasibleplaceforriceplanting,”HutoldChinAfrica.“Previously,withoutirrigationfacilities,riceusedtobecultivatedonlyondryfieldswhichtotallyreliedonrainfall,resultinginlowproduction.”
InWerer,riceisonlyplantedonceayearduringitsrainyseason.Otherfactorsincludingineffectiveuseofthearea’snaturalclimate,sunlightandwaterresourceshavealsoledtoslowprogressinricecultivation.“Ifwecanchangethedrylandintopaddyfield,thericeproductionherewouldbesignificantlyimproved,”Husaid.
Drylandtopaddyfield
Huisa56-year-oldagriculturalexpertfromNanchangCityBureauofAgricultureandHusbandry,insoutheastChina’sJiangxiProvince.Hiscompanion,54-year-oldLuoXueyi,isanagriculturalexpertfromHengnanCountyBureauofAgricultureincentral-southHunanProvince.ThisisthefourthtimetheexpertspartneredtogetherwiththeprojectofagriculturalaidtoAfricaorganizedbytheMinistryofAgricultureofChina.
InMay2016,HuandLuowereassignedtotheWererAgriculturalResearchCenterwhichfocusesonfindingirrigationsolutionsinwatershortageareas.Workingwithlocalagriculturalexperts,theywroteaproposaltotheMinistryofAgricultureofEthiopia,suggestingtheestablishmentofademonstrationprojectonproductivepaddyricecultivationinWerer.Onemonthlater,theproposalwasauthorizedandWererwasdesignatedasanexperimentaldemonstrationbaseforpaddyricecultivation.
InlateDecember,HuandLuobeganthefirstphaseoftheirwork,includingdigging,partitioningandridging.Astheinitialpreparationworkscametocompletiontheduowereconfrontedbyamalfunctioninthewaterworks.Withoutadirectwatersupply,theexpertswereforcedtoreturntotheirresidenceinAddisAbabatolookforhelpfromotherChineseagriculturalexperts,andallworkonthebasecametoahalt.
OnJanuary25thisyear,LuoandHuhadasolutionandreturnedtoWerertorestarttheworkoftheexperimentaldemonstrationbase.Withthehelpandsupportofpeerexperts,theridging,leveling,systemconstruction,watertestingandreinforcementswerefinishedin24days.
“Strictlyspeaking,therewerenopaddyfieldsbeforewecamehere,becausetherewasalackofavailableirrigationfacilities,”Husaid.Thekeyfactorforricecultivationisthemanagementofwaterandfertilizer.“Forthisreason,theirrigationanddrainageofthepaddyfieldsmustbeachievedtoreachawater-balancestateatalltimes,”headded.
OnFebruary19,thedrylandtopaddyfieldprojectwascomplete.“Afternumerousfailures,wefinallysolvedthewatersupplyproblem,andplantedriceonthedemonstrationbaseusingourcultivationtechniques.InWerer,wehaveshownthelocalsourbestexperienceforgrowingrice,”Husaid.
“Atleast12tonsofriceperhectareatthedemonstrationbaseareexpectedtobeharvestedthisyear,fourtimesthatofbefore.Andricecanbeplantedthreetimesayearbecausethelocalsoil,climate,andwaterresourcesaregood.Ifourtechnologyisappliedtotheentireregion,Ethiopia’sfoodproblemcanberesolved,”Husaid.
OnFebruary12,DestaBonjo,DirectoroftheWererAgriculturalResearchCenter,visitedthedemonstrationbaseandexpressedhisexcitementovertheresults.“WehadnoideaofhowtoconstructanirrigationsystemandplantriceonpaddyfieldbeforetheworkoftheChineseexperts.Wewillcontinuetodiligentlylearnandlookafterthebaseforalongtime,”hesaid.
HuHuojinteacheslocalfarmerstoimprovetheirrigationfacilitiesCOURTESYPHOTOSWork-lifebalance
ApartfromEthiopia,HuhasworkedasanagriculturalexpertinNigeriaandMaliin2004and2011.HesaidhewouldliketofurtherdevelopacareerinAfrica,buthealsofeelsguiltyforspendingtoomuchtimeawayfromhisfamily.
“WhenevertheMinistryofAgriculturehassomeprojectsinAfrica,Ialwayshavetheenthusiasmtotakepartin,butIalsofeelsorryfortheinsufficientcompanionshipIhavewithmyfamily,”Husaid.“Lifeisaprocessofself-improvement.Africa,despiteitstrulychallengingconditions,isaplacewhereourvalueoflifecanbebetterrealized.”
LifeinEthiopiaforHuandLuoisverysimple.Theyleavetheirhomesearlyinthemorningandreturnlateintheevening.Theyspendmostoftheirtimeinthefields,whichcanresultinmultipleinjuriestothearmsandlegs.Wildanimalsarealsoknowntofrequentthehousefromtimetotimetotakefood,sometimesresultingindamagetoproperty.Despitethesechallenges,theynevergaveupandremainresoluteintheirdeterminationanddecisiontostay.
“LuoandIwereborninthe1960s,atimewhenourcountryexperiencedashortageoffood.WhenwecametoAfrica,welookedtothepasttoinspireustohelplocalpeopleavoidthehardshipswehaveexperienced,”saidHu.
InOctober2012,whenHufirsttraveledtoEthiopia,hepublishedthebookResourcesandUtilizationofBamboo,onthetitlepageofwhichhewrote:“Iwouldliketodedicatethisbooktomymother,whotaughtmetogiverespectfullywithbothhands.”AccordingtoHu,hewasnotprovidingaidtoAfrica,butjoininginpartnershipwithhisAfricanbrothersandsistersforabrighterfuture.
Commentstoxyy@chinafrica.