Chinese Government provides $6 million grant for the Zambia Agricultural Technology Demonstration Center Project

Project narrative

In 2007, the Chinese Government granted $6 million USD for building the Zambia Agricultural Technology Demonstration Center Project. The Bureau of Foreign Aid in the Chinese Ministry of Commerce provided the grant and the Bureau of International Cooperation in the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture helped implement the project. The center is built on 120 hectares of land at the University of Zambia (UNZA)-owned Liempe Farm in Chongwe district. The center undertakes agricultural research and educational activities related to corn and wheat. Jilin Province provided the implementing contractor to build to Center. Jilin Food Group Ltd. Co. provided the seeds and equipment. A foundation laying ceremony was organized on November 7, 2009. Construction then began on June 1, 2010 and ended on December 31, 2010. A project completion ceremony was organized on June 17, 2011 and attended by the Zambian Minister of Education Dora Siliya, the Zambian Minister of Agriculture and Co-operatives Eustarckio Kazonga, the Chinese Ambassador to Zambia Zhou Yuxiao, the President of Jilin Agriculture University, Qin Guixin, and UNZA Vice Chancellor Stephen Simukanga. The center was officially handed over on November 25, 2011. Between 2012-2014, the center entered the “technical cooperation” period, and then in 2017 it entered the “independent operation” period in which it was co-run by Jilin Agricultural University and University of Zambia without support from the Chinese Government. In October 2017, the Gates Foundation provided a $1.5 million USD, 3-year grant to the Zambia Agricultural Technology Demonstration Center to support its technology demonstration and promotion activities for small famers in Zambia.