Profile: Tilling land, touching hearts: Chinese agriculture professor's dedication to Africa

Professor Hai Jiangbo talks with Ngnadong Wansim Aboubakar, a doctoral candidate from Cameroon, at the College of Agronomy, Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University in Yangling, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Sept. 3, 2024. (Xinhua/Shao Rui)

XI'AN, Oct. 13 (Xinhua) -- Following his 27th journey to the African continent in January, Hai Jiangbo, a 58-year-old agriculture professor, envisions his life after retirement a few years from now: he hopes to return to Africa to establish an agricultural base.

During his January visit, Hai, a faculty member at the College of Agronomy, Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University, dedicated 20 days to Guinea. There, he helped to craft comprehensive agricultural development plans, advocating for the country to establish a distinct agricultural identity through robust branding and strategic agricultural production planning.

Hai's connection with Africa was forged in 2003 when he joined the third batch of Chinese educators dispatched to Ethiopia as part of a teaching initiative.

Initially tasked with teaching phytophysiology and agroecology, he encountered a diverse classroom of students aged 12 to 45. Despite the scarcity of internet and his nascent English proficiency, he diligently translated Chinese textbooks into English. This year-long endeavor marked the genesis of his profound bond with Africa.

Over the past two decades, Hai's fervor for African agriculture has remained unflagging. He has been involved in multiple aid projects from Ethiopia to Tanzania, Kenya to Madagascar. With each venture, he has transplanted China's successful agricultural varieties, technologies and management paradigms to Africa.

In Cameroon, Hai was instrumental in boosting the yield of local rice to an impressive 7 tonnes per hectare across nearly two hectares of demonstration fields by integrating some rice cultivation techniques.

In Benin, his team successfully adapted two Chinese maize varieties to better withstand the erosive effects of seawater and rainfall, enhancing the local saline-alkali soils and ensuring stable agricultural yields.

Beyond enhancing agricultural development, Hai has also ignited a passion for agricultural education among African students. Over the span of 21 years, he has visited 13 African countries, mentoring and training over 10,000 African students at the master's and doctoral levels, agricultural technicians, and government officials through a blend of online and in-person sessions.

Some of these foreign students have even opted to pursue their studies in China. So far, Hai has mentored 12 African students at the undergraduate, graduate and doctoral levels at Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University.

One such student is Ngnadong Wansim Aboubakar from Cameroon, who is currently pursuing his PhD under Hai's guidance. "Professor Hai encouraged me to see him as family, not just as a tutor or supervisor. He also inspired me to return to China for my PhD. All that I have achieved is due to his mentorship and support," Aboubakar said.

For Hai, Africa is a paradise for agricultural development, blessed with abundant natural resources, favorable light and heat conditions, ample rainfall, extensive river networks as well as vast tracts of land. However, its agricultural productivity remains low due to technological and talent constraints, leading to food shortages and subsequent social issues.

Hai sees immense potential for agricultural growth in Africa, where his knowledge and technologies can be most effectively utilized. "China's agricultural experiences have provided us with a wealth of experience in agricultural production and rural development. I believe these experiences can be highly beneficial to Africa," he said.

After retirement, Hai plans to return to Africa and establish experimental stations, farms or cooperatives with his African students. He aspires to implement more Chinese agricultural experiences in Africa, aiding in the continent's agricultural development and providing a stable foundation for China's agricultural research on the continent.

"Together with my students, I wish to contribute to the agricultural development of African countries, to their food security and to improving the malnutrition situation. I am confident that the future of the China-Africa community with a shared future is very bright," he noted.

This file photo taken on Sept. 3, 2018 shows Hai Jiangbo talking with Rwandan student Efienne Niyigabas at the College of Agronomy, Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University in Yangling, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. (Xinhua/Li Yibo)