ROME, Feb. 19 -- China's agricultural development, featured by emphasis on sustained policies and long-term investment, is a model for developing countries, said Kanayo Nwanze, president of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) on Wednesday.

In an interview with Xinhua at the 37th annual session of IFAD governing council, Nwanze said China's investment in rural development, and smallholder agriculture in particular, makes it "the model of the all developing countries."

"If you look at this country in 1980, China had famine that caused people struggling to survive. By 2000, you had already feeded yourselves; by 2010, you had become the second largest economy of the world," he said.

Positive transformation in Chinese rural areas is a result of investment in agriculture and rural area development in the long run, said Nwanze.

He noted that the Chinese authorities are paying attention to food quality.

"China is going beyond the food quantity issue, and toward the food quality problem, in terms of environment and nutrition. That's sort of issue requiring higher level of governance," said Nwanze.

China joined the Rome-headquartered international institution in 1980.